Très Parisien, 1926, No. 1, Pl. 18: L'OMBRE DES JEUNES FILLES 1926

This print, L'Ombre des Jeunes Filles, was made in 1926 by G-P. Joumard. You know, I’m really taken with the flatness of this picture. The three figures are so stylized, and the colors – mostly reds, whites, and blacks – are applied in such a controlled way. I can imagine Joumard, carefully laying down each color, building up the image layer by layer. There’s a real attention to detail here, from the patterns on the dresses to the way the shadows are rendered. It makes me wonder what was going through Joumard’s head as they were making this? Were they thinking about the latest trends, or were they more interested in creating a timeless image of modern womanhood? It reminds me of other artists who were exploring similar themes during this period, like Tamara de Lempicka or even some of the Bauhaus artists. They all seem to be grappling with this question of how to represent the modern world, and how to capture the spirit of the age. These artists are all in conversation, inspiring each other’s work. Painting is a form of embodied expression, embracing multiple interpretations, leaving room for ambiguity.