Mujeres modelos: Eighty Years of Women, Fashion Photography, and Haute Couture (1850-1940)

This exhibition presents eighty years of fashion photography from 1850 to 1940, exploring stereotypes of women in modeling and fashion across two centuries. It highlights the consolidation of haute couture, the splendor of the belle époque, and the connection between fashion, cinema, and entertainment.

Running from July 8 to September 11, 2005, 'Mujeres modelos. Mujeres de moda (1850-1940)' showcases twenty-six photographs that delineate the iconography and stereotypes surrounding women in modeling and fashion. The exhibition traces the evolution of haute couture, the opulence of the belle époque, and the intertwined worlds of fashion, cinema, and spectacle. The display features the work of eleven male and six female photographers from Europe and America, presenting images of renowned actresses such as Carole Lombard, Louise Brooks, and Marlene Dietrich. It also captures the essence of aristocratic elegance, exoticism, fin-de-siècle femininity reminiscent of Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics, and the subtle sensuality of young women in deshabillé. Notably, the exhibition includes a depiction of the "most famous girl," Alice in Wonderland, as a Roman nymph, a photograph by Lewis Carroll himself. Visitors can immerse themselves in the luxury of silks, satins, and pearls worn by famous dancers like Anna Pavlova and Spanish artists such as Genoveva Vix, Angelita Vilar, and Eugenia Zúffoli. A famous corset by Horst is also featured, offering a glimpse into iconic fashion imagery. The exhibition's curator, Mónica Carabias Álvaro, examines the complex relationship between photography and fashion, noting how these disciplines often intersect, sometimes merging with painting, cinematography, or reportage. Photography's engagement with fashion can manifest as irony, sophistication, intellectual abstraction, or even delve into the absurd, kitsch, surrealism, or orthodox reportage, all of which are explored within this unique display.

Information regarding ticketing or admission for this exhibition is not provided on this page. Visitors are directed to explore the museum's main website for details on access and opening times.