Très Parisien, 1925, No. 1, Pl. 9.- LA TURBIE. 1925

Curator: Here we have "Très Parisien, 1925, No. 1, Pl. 9 - LA TURBIE," created in 1925 by G-P. Joumard. This print, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, features delicate watercolour on toned paper. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: I'm immediately drawn to its whimsical nature and almost naive rendering. The soft pastel colours and loose watercolor bleeds lend it a dreamy, carefree air, a distinct snapshot of interwar optimism perhaps? Curator: Absolutely. The materials themselves suggest accessibility and wider consumption. Notice how the medium of watercolour, easily reproducible, democratizes art, making it less precious and more aligned with commercial applications like fashion plates. Joumard, though lesser-known, was clearly catering to a burgeoning market. Editor: Indeed, and how interesting to note the tension between "high" art and craft through its commercial application in what appears to be a fashion illustration. Plaid patterns of two tailored ensembles seem almost cartoonish; it’s certainly not striving for photorealistic representation. Semiotically, what statements do these visual choices make regarding societal expectations and roles? Curator: The overt 'cartoon caricature', particularly in the rendering of the female figures, certainly speaks to broader anxieties and fascinations of the period. Mass production also affected fashion, didn’t it? Consider the simplified silhouettes, easier to replicate quickly; those become indicators of readily available attire... almost disposable even. Editor: Yet there's a distinct charm that saves it from feeling cold. Look at the application of the watercolour washes! Areas of green bleed artfully around the figures providing depth and adding richness. Formally, Joumard successfully employs 'pastel soft colors', despite the overall cartoonish theme. The visual language is rather seductive and alluring. Curator: Yes, this illustrates how such design contributed towards projecting the aura of desirable modernity – a very lucrative proposition. A combination of soft and gentle watercolour washes to define what looks like modern tailoring represents material and labour in its most consumable forms! Editor: Exactly. It showcases material culture’s symbiotic link with societal values while reminding us art never exists in a vacuum. Curator: I agree. Exploring artwork through production lenses alongside aesthetics delivers insights to broader trends and shifts of cultural moments.