Civil Garb of the French Citizen

Civil Garb of the French Citizen is a critical 1794 etching by Jacques Louis David, created during the height of the French Revolution. This striking print serves as a direct political visualization, detailing the proposed standardized attire for revolutionary Men. David, a deeply committed Jacobin and leading figure in the artistic administration of the First Republic, designed this costume civil to replace the perceived extravagance and hierarchical markers of Ancien Régime fashion with an appearance emphasizing simplicity, equality, and civic virtue.

The year 1794, known as the Year II of the French Republican calendar, saw intense pressure to standardize all aspects of public life, including clothing, as part of the drive toward total cultural reformation. David utilized the exacting nature of the etching technique to clearly delineate the specific components of the uniform, which included a tailored coat, waistcoat, and broad-brimmed hat. The monochromatic simplicity reinforces the republican austerity that the regime sought to project.

This historically significant work is part of the extensive collection of prints held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. David's efforts to define the identity of the revolutionary citizen through dress ultimately provided a foundational visual language for the new political order, even if the specific uniform depicted in the work did not become universally adopted. As an essential piece of documentation relating to the French Republic, this 18th-century graphic work often appears in public domain catalogs, ensuring wide accessibility for researchers and admirers of historical prints.