Dress c. 1936

This dress design, by Lillian Causey, probably done with watercolor, is all delicacy and poise. I like to imagine Causey with her pencils and brushes, making this drawing come alive on the page. The pinks and whites, so precise and elegant. I am thinking about her hand, the way she carefully laid down each stroke. The ruffles and lace, like soft whispers. Look at how she rendered the folds of the dress, the way it seems to flow and move. You see other studies of the dress on the sheet, like little echoes. It reminds me of the patterns in a Matisse interior, the way he uses color and line to create a sense of depth and movement. Causey is part of a conversation that extends across time. Artists see, and then we make. So, the next time you’re looking at a painting, remember that it is a conversation with art history. It invites you to participate, too!