Toujours Chic Les Tailleurs et Les Manteaux, Hiver 1921-1922: Zinnia 1921 - 1922

Curator: Here we have “Toujours Chic Les Tailleurs et Les Manteaux, Hiver 1921-1922: Zinnia,” a watercolor fashion illustration by G-P. Joumard, dating from the early 1920s. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: My immediate response is that she exudes this quiet defiance despite the very prescribed femininity in the clothes, like she's pushing against something. Curator: Definitely! The harlequin pattern of her dress disrupts any conventional expectation of fashionable refinement. Note also the Zinnia title. In the Victorian language of flowers, a zinnia often symbolized thoughts of an absent friend, but could also mean lasting affection and remembrance. Considering that, do you feel this symbolism ties in with her subtle act of defiance you've noted? Editor: I hadn’t considered the floral symbolism! With that in mind, the illustration becomes really compelling as a post-war statement, as if it is encapsulating a time of deep grief and reconstruction. Perhaps Joumard wanted to highlight women finding new and slightly subversive ways to carry themselves after a period of mourning. Curator: That is such an interesting idea about its resonance with the post-war experience and the evolving social codes around that period. I'm fascinated by how her almost severe gaze contrasts with the soft rendering of the fur and the slight iridescence of the watercolor. It has an undeniably magnetic pull to it, despite its relative simplicity. Editor: Absolutely, it’s that contradiction between the softness and severity which gives it such emotional heft! It makes me consider what the illustration aimed to embody about this historical moment and about female identity. It presents a very modern, yet vulnerable, figure to consider. Curator: It’s a valuable example of the interplay between societal expression and individual representation within this moment. Thank you for lending me your ideas. Editor: Thank you, this artwork is compelling for uncovering historical and political complexities while prompting new reflection and insights.