Papillons ; France XXe siècle 1922

George Barbier made this print, “Papillons,” sometime in the 20th century in France. There’s a light touch here; a soft dreaminess created by the light pastel palette and the stylized, almost graphic quality of the lines. It’s all about capturing a moment, an atmosphere, a mood. The texture is smooth, the colours laid down in flat, even tones. Look at the way the light filters through the leaves of the tree, dappling the scene in a soft, diffused glow. The butterfly that mirrors the shape of the ruffles of the dress of the central figure. It feels like Barbier is inviting us to step into a world of beauty and elegance, where the boundaries between art and life blur. Maybe he was looking at Watteau, the way both artists mix theatre and leisure. Both artists suggest a certain feminine aesthetic, where ambiguity and multiple interpretations take precedence.