Gazette du Bon Ton, 1924 - No. 6 : p. 249: Les Nations à Paris 1924

Editor: We're looking at *Gazette du Bon Ton, 1924 - No. 6 : p. 249: Les Nations à Paris* by Charles Laborde, a watercolor and print work from 1924. The title suggests an assembly of nations in Paris, but the image strikes me as quite satirical, maybe even a bit jaded. Everyone appears so stiff and self-important. What do you see in it? Curator: It’s like stumbling into a bizarre tea party thrown by diplomacy itself, isn’t it? Chas Laborde, bless his observant soul, has captured something timeless here: the almost theatrical posturing of international relations. I see a watercolor illustration filled with shrewd observation and understated humor. Look at how he captures each face - like tiny caricatures ripe with cultural nuances and probably the headache of postwar negotiations! Notice the architecture faded in the background: does it give you the feeling that something substantial looms just beyond the present stage of people? Editor: It does now! The sketchiness of the architectural details almost feels dismissive, like the backdrop isn't really important. So, Laborde’s really emphasizing the people and perhaps their... artificiality? Curator: Exactly! Each individual seems plucked from a different corner of the world, their identities carefully curated. Consider the stylistic choices of art nouveau, with its inclination to distort or playfully reshape familiar perspectives. What emotions do you perceive beyond mere facial expressions? Is it perhaps boredom? Resignation? Laborde seems to imply it is not exactly love, acceptance, nor joy. Editor: Hmm, there is a sense of performativity in those expressions. So it's not just nations *in* Paris, but *performing* Paris? It's like a commentary on the expectations of international decorum. I thought it was just an event, but now I see the real narrative. Curator: Yes! And that narrative, dressed up in art nouveau finery, continues to whisper in our ears today. Even a simple glance reminds you about complex topics - doesn't that tickle your artistic soul? Editor: Definitely, it really has changed how I view this artwork, there's so much going on under the surface! Thanks for opening my eyes!