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The Age of Undress: Art, Fashion, and the Classical Ideal in the 1790s
Neoclassicism recast as a feminine, progressive movement through the lens of empire-style fashion, as well as related art and literature
The Age of Undress explores the emergence and meaning of neoclassical dress in the 1790s, tracing its evolution from Naples to London and Paris over the course of a single decade. The neoclassical style of clothing—often referred to as robe à la grecque , empire style, or “undress”—is marked by a sheer, white, high-waisted muslin dress worn with minimal undergarments, often accessorized with a cashmere shawl. This style represented a dramatic departure from that of previous decades and was short by the 1820s, corsets, silks, and hoop skirts were back in fashion.
Amelia Rauser investigates this sudden transformation and argues that women styled themselves as living statues, artworks come to life, an aesthetic and philosophical choice intertwined with the experiments and innovations of artists working in other media during the same period. Although neoclassicism is often considered a cold, rational, and masculine movement, Rauser’s analysis shows that it was actually deeply passionate, with women at its core—as ideals and allegories, as artistic agents, and as important patrons.
The Age of Undress explores the emergence and meaning of neoclassical dress in the 1790s, tracing its evolution from Naples to London and Paris over the course of a single decade. The neoclassical style of clothing—often referred to as robe à la grecque , empire style, or “undress”—is marked by a sheer, white, high-waisted muslin dress worn with minimal undergarments, often accessorized with a cashmere shawl. This style represented a dramatic departure from that of previous decades and was short by the 1820s, corsets, silks, and hoop skirts were back in fashion.
Amelia Rauser investigates this sudden transformation and argues that women styled themselves as living statues, artworks come to life, an aesthetic and philosophical choice intertwined with the experiments and innovations of artists working in other media during the same period. Although neoclassicism is often considered a cold, rational, and masculine movement, Rauser’s analysis shows that it was actually deeply passionate, with women at its core—as ideals and allegories, as artistic agents, and as important patrons.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 13, 2022
Super interesting book about the white muslin dresses worn by Austen heroines, Thermidor and Diréctoire women, classical-statue-embodying femmes anglaises and all sorts of womenfolk circa 1790 to circa 1820. The inbetweenies devoted to lightness, whiteness, highwaistedness, drape and TBC I have to rush off!
May 30, 2021
This was an immensely enjoyable and illuminating book. Amelia Rauser is an engaging writer who skillfully weaves together the history of art, fashion, and performance. She also highlights some remarkable women from history who helped popularize neoclassical dress; her discussion of Emma Hart was especially fascinating to me.
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December 23, 2022Mentioned in the JASNA News Volume 38, Number 4 Winter 2023
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews