Toujours Chic Les Deshabillés, Hiver 1921-1922: Paulette 1921 - 1922

This fashion plate of Paulette was made in 1921 or 22 with ink and watercolour. I'm really admiring the graphic economy of Joumard's image-making: the minimal strokes of the pen to define the figure, and the flat planes of red, white and black, so characteristic of Art Deco. I'm wondering about how the artist brought the image into being. Fashion plates like this were hugely popular in the 20s as women's fashion became bolder and more liberated. There's a real freshness in this image. I can imagine Joumard really enjoying drawing this figure, conjuring the latest styles for the pages of a fashion magazine. That splash of watercolour, that red tunic, it all speaks to a sense of spontaneity and joy. It sits so well with the chic, modern woman that Joumard is portraying. Fashion and painting are always in conversation, each inspiring the other.