The Test of the Corset
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 45 × 35.4 cm (17 3/4 × 13 15/16 in.); Sheet, cut within platemark: 47.3 × 35.6 cm (18 5/8 × 14 1/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
30089
Art Historical Context
Antoine Francois Dennel's "The Test of the Corset" from 1788 offers a charming window into late 18th-century French social customs through the medium of engraving. Created just before the French Revolution, the print depicts a scene centered on fashion and fitting, reflecting the era's elaborate dress codes where corsets shaped both silhouettes and daily life. As an engraving on ivory laid paper, it showcases the precise linework and tonal shading that allowed such works to circulate widely beyond painted originals. Engravings held particular significance during this period, serving as an acc...