Toujours Chic Les Tailleurs et Les Manteaux, Hiver 1921-1922: Pimpante 1921 - 1922

This fashion plate, Pimpante, was made in 1921 or 22 by G-P. Joumard, probably with some sort of printmaking process, maybe pochoir. The pale colors are so delicate, like watercolors, but the lines have an evenness that suggests a stencil. There’s a real economy of mark-making here, just enough to get the idea across, like a quick sketch from life but one that’s been carefully considered in advance. I’m drawn to the fringed shawl on the figure’s left, how the graphic pattern reads as flat design, but the short, dark hatching implies a kind of messy volume. The shawl really pops, and it’s interesting how Joumard has positioned the model with her back turned so that the focus is on this particular detail. Fashion illustration of this kind always makes me think of Erté, who was working around the same time and also had a real knack for capturing the spirit of an era in a few deft lines. The real art is in the suggestive quality of the image. What isn't drawn is just as important as what is.