La Rose Jacqueminot Coty 1904

This poster, La Rose Jacqueminot Coty, was made by Leonetto Cappiello. The artist is really working with flat planes of colour, but there’s something about the way the rose colour is echoed in the woman’s hair, that connects the image to the product it’s promoting. The texture in this image is totally smooth - it's a poster! The lack of surface variation really forces you to focus on the colour choices - the warm gold of the dress, the pinky-red of her hair, and the contrasting background, which is a very dark, cool brown. It’s really all about colour, and that simplicity gives it a modern feel. Look at the folds in the dress, and how the artist has used a lighter shade of gold to create a sense of depth, but it’s just a suggestion. There's a kind of conversation that can happen between a poster like this and the work of someone like Matisse, and that's what keeps art alive! It’s not about fixed meaning, but rather what the image opens up in your mind.