Très Parisien, 1925, No. 10, Pl. 17: Créations Martial et Armand - ESTEREL 1925

This fashion plate by G-P. Joumard was made in 1925, likely as a print or lithograph. The image is dominated by a soft, muted color palette. You have these pastel blues and greens against the neutral background, all very chic, very Parisian. I can imagine Joumard being concerned with the balance between commercial appeal and artistic integrity. What did they think about the models? What kind of women are they? The flat, graphic style, with its clean lines, is so efficient at conveying form and detail without excessive shading or depth. It makes me think about the world of fashion illustration at the time, and how artists were responding to new technologies and modes of representation. It makes me think about Sonia Delaunay and other avant-garde artists who engaged with fashion and design. I wonder if Joumard was aware of their work and whether there was a dialogue happening between fine art and commercial art at the time. Painting is all about conversation, isn't it? This plate opens up so much space for imagining and dreaming, it's beautiful.