Très Parisien, 1923, No 8: 15.- GOURMANDISES. - Charmante est cette simple robe... 1923

This fashion plate titled 'Très Parisien' was printed in 1923, and the artist is unknown. What strikes me is the flat, graphic quality, a kind of stylized shorthand for the exuberance of the Jazz Age. The artist uses color not to describe form, but to create a pattern. Look at the dress on the left – the way the orange and blue stripes clash with the paisley-like motif, it’s almost jarring, but in a good way! I love how the artist renders the fabric as if the patterns were stencils, prioritizing the surface design. It makes me think of other artists who were breaking down form and flattening space, like Matisse, maybe, or even some of the German Expressionists. It’s a reminder that art is always in conversation, borrowing and riffing on ideas across time. And like any good conversation, it's open to multiple interpretations and unexpected twists.