Fashion Store 1914

August Macke made this painting, "Fashion Store," with oil on canvas, using brushwork that’s straightforward, even a little blunt. Notice how he defines form with broad planes of color, rather than blended tones. Macke’s real subject isn’t just the clothes; it's the act of consumption itself, and the way it shapes social experience. The women are shown in a kind of pleasurable daze, absorbed in the window display. The window becomes a mirror reflecting other potential customers and a barrier between the consumer and the producers of fashion. You can practically feel the texture of the brushstrokes, reminding us of the labor involved in making the painting. The smooth, mass-produced goods within the store present a sharp contrast to the human touch so evident on the canvas. This tension reminds us that even in a world of commodities, the hand is always present, one way or another.