Minneapolis Institute of Art

Fashion Plate No. 297 from Journal des Dames et des Modes

Publisher: Pierre de La Mesangere

Date: April 30, 1801
Medium: Hand-colored engraving
Department: European Art
Institution: Minneapolis Institute of Art

The woman in this print makes the opposite impression of her counterpart holding the backwards guitar (see Mia P.16, 081). She carries a book entitled “SOLFEGE” (music theory). These musical exercises place syllables (like Do-Re-Mi) onto musical scalesto teach sightreading, the technique of singing from a musical score without hearing the tune beforehand. This kind of skilled musicianship required dedication and thus casts this woman as a serious student or teacher of music. The back of this image has musical notation scrawled on it. Perhaps the plate was owned by a well-trained woman musician. France, Europe

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