Woman wearing Caraco, preparatory drawing for Galerie des Modes et Costumes Français

This fashion plate reveals how musical instruments worked as fashion accessories for late 1700s elites. Pictured from behind, we cannot see how the woman holds her fingers on the fret or strings. Instead, the lute is a prop drawing attention to the gentle placement of her hand, the slight curve of her hip supporting the instrument’s body, the graceful tilt of her head, and her composed facial expression.