Elegant Par 1929

Gerda Wegener created "Elegant Par" using pochoir, a type of printmaking that employs stencils to apply color, around the turn of the 20th century. Wegener lived through a time of immense change that challenged traditional social and gender norms. This artwork captures a sense of both the opulence and the playful ambiguity of the Art Deco era. We see a stylish couple, sharply dressed, yet there's a subtle performance of gender at play. The woman, with her strong silhouette and confident stance, contrasts with the almost caricatured presentation of the man. Wegener often explored themes of identity and gender fluidity. Her personal life was intertwined with these themes, as her spouse, Lili Elbe, was one of the first people to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Wegener's work invites us to consider how gender can be both performed and challenged. It reflects the shifting identities of the time, capturing the emotional nuances of self-expression and societal expectations.