Dimensions height 240 mm, width 191 mm
This is George Barbier's fashion plate, Evening Attire, created for the Gazette du Bon Ton. Imagine the artist, Barbier, carefully placing each line, meticulously building up the forms. I wonder if he ever felt like he was playing dress-up with paint, draping colors and shapes onto the canvas like fabrics on a mannequin? The limited palette – a sophisticated blend of grays, blacks, and blues – whispers of a subdued elegance, a world where every color choice is a statement. Look at the woman’s cape – those bold stripes, alternating light and dark, create such movement and depth. You almost feel like you could reach out and touch the plush texture. It’s a confident stroke, right? It reminds me of Matisse and his sense of decorative space. The artist seems to know something about the performative aspects of fashion and painting. And in a way, aren't we all just dressing up, trying on different identities and expressions?
Comments
If the price of the Gazette du Bon Ton was steep, that of the clothes pictured was exorbitant. Evening attire was especially luxurious, consisting chiefly of silk garments decorated with gold and silver thread or expensive fur. Naturally, clothes like these called for costly accessories, which a true lady wore sparingly. An outfit had to work as a whole: all of the details, from headbands to high-heeled shoes, had to fit together. And that, in turn, required money, time, care and, most importantly, bon ton (good taste).
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