Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costumes Parisiens, 1913, No. 89 : Toilette de garden-party 1913

Victor Lhuer made this fashion plate in 1913, a lithograph with hand-coloring. The palette here is so soft, the colors are so muted they are almost not there! It's like the colors are whispering to each other. Look closely, and you can see Lhuer allows the colors to bleed out a little, like he is not too concerned with keeping things neat and tidy. I love the way the artist renders this woman’s clothing with just a few simple lines and washes of color. You can almost feel the weight of the fabric as it drapes around her body. It's amazing how he suggests the textures with such limited means. Take the fur trim on her jacket, for example. It's just a few scribbled lines, but it reads so clearly as something soft and fuzzy. It reminds me a little of Matisse’s economy of line. It's all about capturing the essence of something with as little fuss as possible. Which is what making art is all about, right?