La Gazette du Bon Ton was an exclusive publication for the wealthy who could afford to wear such fashions. For each magazine of each issue, the wonderful illustrations were produced by hand. It was labour-intensive work. To ensure a consistency of illustration within the magazine, fashion artists cut as many as 20 separate zinc stencils for each successive application of watercolours, carefully applied by hand onto thick cream vergé paper.
Essentially, the illustrations introduced the latest fine fashion, mainly for ladies and their daughters, but they go much further than this. While showing how the outfits should be worn, the pochoirs also illustrate the lifestyle of the well-to-do, and their surroundings and daily activities. La Gazette du Bon Ton was the creation of Lucien Vogel, its editor and publisher. He employed a group of artists who had attended the École des Beaux Arts together. They dressed elegantly and called themselves the 'Knights of the Bracelet'. Their work provided the magic of these pochoirs.
George Barbier was the most influential of the group, and became one of the four principal artists - each with his own distinct style. Pierre Brissaud (Barbier's first cousin) had an almost romantic style and was probably the most prolific. André-Edouard Marty had a distinctive, rather modern style. Charles Martin who gained more fame for illustrating poems, had an almost ethereal style - but was also skilled in producing most conventional styles.
The titles below each illustration are often slightly humorous or suggestive of incorrect behaviour - which of course adds to their enjoyment.
A few of the fashions were illustrated double the size of the page, so have a faint vertical fold in their centres. There is also one triple-size pochoir showing 22 ladies in evening gowns designed by different couturiers, accompanied by 5 men in evening dress, on a patio in the Côte d'Azur in southern France.
No matter what the subject or their colour, they brightens my days when I glance at them.
Do have another look at these wonderful fashion pochoirs... The real antique prints look much better!
