Toujours Chic, Toilettes de Soirées, Hiver 1921-1922: Sylvie 1921 - 1922

Curator: Looking at this artwork, I'm immediately struck by its elegance and simplicity. Editor: Indeed. Let's delve into this piece from the Rijksmuseum's collection. This is "Toujours Chic, Toilettes de Soirées, Hiver 1921-1922: Sylvie," by G-P. Joumard. Created between 1921 and 1922, it's a striking drawing using watercolor. The clean lines, the flat planes of colour... it exemplifies Art Nouveau, doesn’t it? Curator: It does, yet I see echoes of shifting societal roles for women woven in. Consider the direct gaze, the relaxed posture of "Sylvie," this suggests a departure from more demure poses. This period, after the First World War, witnessed increasing female independence. Fashion, inevitably, becomes a crucial language through which women could claim agency. Editor: An intriguing point. However, the technique itself—the precise linework, the almost geometric simplification of the dress— these stylistic choices pull me in as well. Note how Joumard has rendered the fabric, suggesting texture and weight even with such minimal application of colour. Curator: True. The details offer further insight into early 20th-century societal conventions. The very title, "Toujours Chic" is a reflection of an emerging consumer culture where fashion periodicals offered designs. The subject carries a dangling pod from her fingertip--most likely an essential cosmetic container for public space. Fashion illustrations were designed to reinforce aspirational social structures and consumer behavior. Editor: You make me consider, the palette is quite restrained. A muted teal, stark white, and touches of black… it speaks of quiet sophistication, even a subtle form of rebellion against pre-war exuberance in fashion. The balance achieved, by limiting such expression allows an emphasis to be cast upon Sylvie's overall comportment within her gender role of that particular time. Curator: Absolutely. This image is less about the individual, per se, and more about how specific clothes allow for navigation through urban landscapes—negotiating personal autonomy, and projecting a specific mode of femininity. Editor: It’s a potent reminder that fashion is never purely aesthetic; instead, it reflects complex sociocultural dialogues. Joumard gives a visual record to future study and reflection. Curator: Precisely, and reminds us of art's ability to both mirror and actively participate in these cultural conversations.