Très Parisien, 1926, No. 2, Pl. 5:- CHAMONIX 1926

This fashion plate, ‘Très Parisien, 1926, No. 2’ by G-P. Joumard, is a peek into the elegant world of 1920s Paris, made with lithography. I'm really struck by the way Joumard uses these restrained colours. They're almost like whispers of shades – soft lavender, creams and grey - giving the image a gentle, airy feel. It’s like a watercolour but with a fashion illustration’s precision! And those tiny, precise lines creating the fabric’s textures, the pleats and folds… you can almost feel the silkiness of the dresses. There’s something so evocative in the flatness of the picture, these colours and shapes almost make the paper itself the skin of the painting, like an old fresco. I am reminded of Manet’s fashion plates, but with a less rigid colour palette. It's amazing how just a few marks, a little colour, can conjure up a whole mood, a whole world of style and sophistication.