Les Élégances Parisiennes, ca. 1916, Supplément No 4, Pl. XIV en XV, fig. 267 t/m 274 : ROBES DE PETITE SOIRÉ (...) c. 1916

This fashion plate, _Les Élégances Parisiennes_, created around 1916, is just a whisper of colour on paper. The pastels are so subtle; it's as if the artist was trying to catch the light on a rainy Parisian afternoon. I can imagine the artist leaning over their desk, squinting, trying to capture the drape of the fabrics with a few strokes. How does the artist create the illusion of volume and depth with such economy? Look at the figure on the right, the folds of her dress are like soft, deflated balloons, and the overall effect is light and buoyant. The artist probably looked at Fragonard's paintings to create this image. It's an echo, a reminder of the ongoing conversation between artists across time. We learn from each other, borrow ideas, and transform them into something new. This artist wants to say that fashion is a form of art. A way to show, to display and to reinvent ourselves every day.