Circassian dress, 1796, English dress, 1789, and caraco housecoat, 1788 (1882-1884). A print from La France et les Français à Travers les Siècles, Volume IV, F Roy editor, A Challamel, Saint-Antoine, 1882-1884. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)
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Hulton Archive Print Collector

Hats and bonnets, 1796 (1882-1884). A print from La France et les Français à Travers les Siècles, Volume IV, F Roy editor, A Challamel, Saint-Antoine, 1882-1884. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)
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Hulton Archive Print Collector

Study of a woman seen from the back by Jean-Antoine Watteau, 1716-1718. This study is drawn from a live model. Watteau has used his favourite combination of black, red and white chalks. This technique 'à trois crayons' became widely used by French artists of the eighteenth century.The costume is the main focus of Watteau's studies. The woman is seated on the ground so that her elaborate dress spreads out around her. This provides the artist with an excuse to study the movement of the drapery according to the different positions of her body. From the collection of the British Museum, London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images)
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Voltaire, French author and epitome of the Enlightenment, 18th century. Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire (1694-1778) in a box at the theatre crowned with laurels as the unique man of all ages. Representation of an anecdotal event. (Photo by Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images)
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Studies of a flute-player and two women, 1717. From the collection of the British Museum, London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images)
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Hulton Archive Print Collector