Venster met gordijnen c. 1895 - 1910

This drawing, Venster met gordijnen, by Léon Laroche, probably made with watercolor and ink, captures a window with curtains. The artist, or designer, seems to have delighted in all the finery. What I love about this is the way the artist embraces the flatness of the page, it is a functional drawing that flirts with illustration, but the softness of the wash renders a dreamlike version of domestic space. Look at the way that some of the lines are reinforced with ink, adding a subtle definition, while others fade into the ground. This is most visible in the pale lilac curtains. There's a real tension here, and I think the drawing succeeds precisely because of this ambiguity; is this for a stage set, or a living room? It reminds me of Raoul Dufy's decorative schemes, but more contained. It's about a vision of a space, rather than a space itself.