Gazette du Bon Ton, 1920 - No. 5, Pl. 34 : Un peu beaucoup 1920

Fernand Siméon made this print, "Gazette du Bon Ton," around 1920. I love the way the solid blacks are offset by the negative space, it reminds us that artmaking is always a process of both addition and subtraction. Looking at the print, you get a real sense of the blocky, almost architectural quality of the linework, it's like he’s building the image up from chunks of material. Take a look at the leaves in the foreground, the way they’re rendered with these dense, almost uniform lines. There’s a real rhythm and weight to them, providing a solid base for the figures. It's not a fussy print, and that gives it a real confidence. I'm reminded of some of the German Expressionist printmakers, like Kirchner, who also embraced this kind of bold, graphic style. Like them, Siméon isn't trying to create a perfect illusion, but rather a feeling. The ambiguity is what makes it sing.