March 1, 2017

Object: Fashion Plate

Publication: Les Modes Parisiennes

Artist: François-Claudius Compte-Calix

Printer: Imprimerie Moine (Paris, Saint-Louis en l'Ile)

Medium: Paper, Ink

Date: Circa 1858

Country: France

Credit: Gift of Mr. Jeff Hastings

This plate comes from the journal Les Modes Parisiennes, which was published in Paris from 1843 – 1875. The chief artist and illustrator, whose signature appears on the plate under the illustration, was François Claudius Compte-Calix (1813-1880).  Compte-Calix also exhibited his paintings at the Paris Salon.

For the production of the fashion plate prints, the artist would execute a drawing, which was then translated into print by an engraver, who often signed the print as well. Any shading would be done with hash marks and lines of the engraving. The final step to complete the print was the application of solid washes of color, done by a team of women workers, each applying one color, in an assembly line process.