Très Parisien, 1923, No 9: 17. - MYRTHO. - Somptueuse, cette robe du soir... 1923

Editor: This is a watercolour illustration from 1923, titled 'Très Parisien, 1923, No 9'. The artist is anonymous. It showcases two women in stunning dresses. What strikes me most is how the colours seem to celebrate femininity but in a slightly detached, almost melancholic way. How do you interpret this work? Curator: That's an interesting reading. I think what’s important is to contextualise it. Fashion plates like this functioned both as art and commerce, reflecting and shaping contemporary ideals of femininity. Let's think about the period. Post-World War I, the 1920s saw women claiming newfound freedoms, reflected in shorter hemlines and a more androgynous silhouette. Do you notice how the illustration almost erases curves, presenting a flattened, streamlined figure? Editor: Yes, the figure on the left especially seems very androgynous with the simple straight shift dress and hair cut. It almost looks as if it's blurring gender roles. Curator: Exactly. These images can be seen as articulating anxieties and aspirations around evolving gender roles. Art Deco itself, with its geometric patterns and interest in industrial design, suggests a desire to break from tradition and embrace modernity. But it also reinforces elitism, doesn't it, in its focus on haute couture, accessible only to a privileged class? What do you think the original viewer might have aspired to, in owning something like this print? Editor: Perhaps aspiration to elegance or belonging? Being part of a certain social status… Curator: Precisely. And these aren’t neutral aspirations. By studying objects such as this in art historical context, we unveil intricate historical dialogues concerning gender, class and cultural identity. Editor: I’ve learned that art can be more than just an image, but a gateway to cultural and historical study. Curator: Precisely. And to further questions about how these historical attitudes are being subverted, replicated or otherwise being challenged.