Nov 28, 2011
“A Wolf in a Cage- ‘Maya’ Costume by Worth,” Gazette du Bon Ton, Vol. 1 No. 4, Feb. 1913. Notes about this image: “The French caption of the ‘Wolf in a Cage’ print is ‘Un Loup en Cage. Costume de “Maya” par Worth.’  Maya is a Sanskrit word meaning illusion. According to Hindu tradition, it is an illusory apparition which hides reality and induces unawareness or ignorance. (PLI) see Wikipedia.  Though ‘loup’ means ‘wolf’, here it refers to the black satin or velvet mask worn at the species of masquerade known as a bal masqué. (DM p 73) ‘En cage’ means ‘cooped up’. So there is a pun on the meanings of loup, expressing the latent sexuality of the masquerade. ‘Voir le loup’ means to lose one’s virginity. (PLI and Collins-Robert) In a short space, the caption implies much but this is not all. Long before 1913, the steel-hooped frame under the skirt of one of the more extreme ‘crinoline’ dresses of the 1850s was known as une (jupe-) cage so a woman wearing one was en cage – caged.  Une jupe is a skirt. (DM p 76) The dress in the picture is a cheeky, short echo of this way out of date style. In 1913, it was suited only to fancy dress. In 1855, it would have got the wearer thrown out of polite society. The reader could take what she wished from the caption.”

“A Wolf in a Cage- ‘Maya’ Costume by Worth,” Gazette du Bon Ton, Vol. 1 No. 4, Feb. 1913.

Notes about this image:

“The French caption of the ‘Wolf in a Cage’ print is ‘Un Loup en Cage. Costume de “Maya” par Worth.’  Maya is a Sanskrit word meaning illusion. According to Hindu tradition, it is an illusory apparition which hides reality and induces unawareness or ignorance. (PLI) see Wikipedia.  Though ‘loup’ means ‘wolf’, here it refers to the black satin or velvet mask worn at the species of masquerade known as a bal masqué. (DM p 73) ‘En cage’ means ‘cooped up’. So there is a pun on the meanings of loup, expressing the latent sexuality of the masquerade. ‘Voir le loup’ means to lose one’s virginity. (PLI and Collins-Robert) In a short space, the caption implies much but this is not all. Long before 1913, the steel-hooped frame under the skirt of one of the more extreme ‘crinoline’ dresses of the 1850s was known as une (jupe-) cage so a woman wearing one was en cage – caged.  Une jupe is a skirt. (DM p 76) The dress in the picture is a cheeky, short echo of this way out of date style. In 1913, it was suited only to fancy dress. In 1855, it would have got the wearer thrown out of polite society. The reader could take what she wished from the caption.”

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