No. 51 from La Mode Illustrée

Art Historical Context

In the opulent world of 186s Paris, *No. 51 from La Mode Illustrée* by Adèle-Anaïs Toudouze captures the elegance of Second Empire fashion. Published in 1869, this hand-colored lithograph is one plate from the esteemed weekly magazine *La Mode Illustrée*, brought haute couture trends directly into middle-class homes across Europe and beyond. Toudouze, a prolific female illustrator in a male-dominated field, specialized in delicate depictions of women's and girls' attire, blending artistry with commercial appeal. The medium—a hand-colored lithograph on a modest sheet of 14 7/8 x 10 9/16 inches—highlights the era's innovative printmaking techniques. Lithography allowed for precise lines and mass production, while meticulous hand-coloring added lifelike vibrancy to fabrics, trims, and accessories, making these plates both instructional and aspirational. Such illustrations democratized fashion, enabling seamstresses and enthusiasts to replicate Parisian styles. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Mrs. Henry J. Bernheim, 1958), this work underscores women's pivotal role in visual culture and the cultural obsession with fashion as social currency. It invites us to admire how a single image could shape wardrobes and identities.