Watteau illustrated the fashionable life of the French elite; his subjects include the theater, masquerade balls, and other group celebrations.  Pervasive fascination with costume, which he collected in his studio for models to wear, materialized in his work in fantastic performance costumes and “fancy dress,” society fashion based on theater designs.  Figures of Fashion couples figurative art with fashion illustration.  The fashion plate was a popular subject at this time among artists and patrons.

For this series Watteau himself etched seven plates, which were retouched by the engraver Simon Thomassin the Younger (1688 - 1741). A title plate was added for publication in book format.  For a later edition, issued after Watteau’s death, the publisher Jean de Julienne added four more images reproducing drawings by the artist. 

 Ann Millett