Très Parisien, 1921-1922: Émeraude. La blonde Parysis (...) c. 1921 - 1922

This pochoir print titled "Émeraude" was made in Paris around 1921 or 1922. The image presents a woman wearing a dress in the vivid green color of the gemstone for which it's named. Consider the color. Emerald green, a symbol of rebirth and renewal, echoes the spring's rejuvenating power. We see this color used throughout history: from the Egyptians, who adorned themselves with emeralds to signify eternal life, to its resurgence in the Romantic era, representing nature's sublime beauty. Here, the color embodies the vivacity of the "Roaring Twenties," a period marked by flapper fashion and societal change. Her gesture—hands delicately poised—recalls classical portrayals of modesty. Yet, in this modern context, the gesture transforms, suggesting both elegance and the era's newly emboldened feminine spirit. The past is never truly gone, but rather, it re-emerges, transformed, in the symbols and gestures of each new age.