Le Bonheur du Jour ou Les Graces à la Mode: Chez la Marchande de Pavots. 1920

Henri Reidel's "Le Bonheur du Jour ou Les Graces à la Mode: Chez la Marchande de Pavots" is a lithograph, so it's all about layers and how colors interact when printed on top of each other. It’s like a recipe, each layer influencing the final flavor. The flatness, that beautiful flatness, is so striking. It’s like looking at a stage set, where everything is designed to be seen from one perspective. The dragon curves around like the edge of a thought, unfurling with graceful menace. I love how the figures are arranged, each one a little world unto itself, yet connected by the shared space. The colors are muted, smoky, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Look at the way Reidel uses line to define the figures, almost like a coloring book, but with a sophisticated edge. It reminds me a bit of Erté, that sense of theatricality and elegance. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is a conversation, a back-and-forth between artists across time.