Très Parisien, 1925, No. 1, Pl. 3: Création BERTHE-HERMANCE - Pierrette. 1925

This fashion plate, Très Parisien, was made in 1925 by G-P. Joumard, likely with some sort of printmaking process. What strikes me is the colour palette, the use of pale pastels to define the figure against the more dense areas of black, orange and green. There’s a tension between the flat surface of the page and the attempt to describe the textures and volume of the fabrics. It’s a reminder of the physicality of dressmaking. Look at the way the black areas seem to sit on the surface, while the patterned areas are more translucent. They create a subtle depth that teases the eye. In particular, the line of white dots down the front of the dress feels like a gesture, a quick stroke, like the artist is almost sketching onto the page. You see similar techniques in the work of Erté, the famous Art Deco artist and designer, but here there’s a playfulness and energy, a sense of the studio and the artist at work. Art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time. Joumard's print invites us to see the world with fresh eyes.