Très Parisien, 1923, No 9: 8. - SIMPLICITÉ. - Élégantes et discrètes... 1923

This fashion plate called "Très Parisien" was made in 1923 using, what looks like, stencils or pochoir. It’s so interesting how these very economical marks construct this image of high-fashion elegance. It reminds us that artmaking is always a process of decisions and constraints. Look at how the black ink creates bold shapes, especially in the dress on the left. It’s velvety, a flat dark mass, punctuated by these decisive white slashes. The artist isn’t trying to trick us into seeing real fabric or bodies but instead presents a graphic image of an idea. And then, on the right, this wild patterned coat, a riot of color, enclosed in black fur. Note how the white highlights catch the light and give form to the women’s faces. There is something of the graphic confidence of Henri Matisse in this image. You see something similar in the way that both artists balance flat planes and graphic details to bring a picture to life. With a few economical gestures, a whole world of elegance is suggested.