France, Nov. 8 -- "As early as the 19th century and even before, artists served as trendsetters," explains Lili Davenas, one of the curators of the exhibition "L'etoffe de l'artiste" - or "The Artist's Fabric".

At the crossroads of art history, sociology and the history of fashion, the exhibition explores how style helped create the myth of the artist and the societal changes that influenced this, and continue to do so in the age of selfies and social media.

For hundreds of years, artists have established and perpetuated sartorial codes.

From the 17th century, artists - including Rembrandt - painted self-portraits wearing velvet robes and caps, in imitation of Italian Renaissance masters such as Titian and Raphael.

In the late 19th ce...