Très Parisien, 1923, No 7: 16.- INSOUCIANCE. - 1. Pyjama en jersey de soie... 1923

This fashion plate, "Très Parisien," made in 1923, is all about capturing a mood, "Insouciance" – that beautiful French word for carefree nonchalance. I can imagine the artist sketching these figures, probably in a studio in Paris, maybe with a cigarette dangling from their lips. They wanted to capture the essence of modern, liberated women. The pinks and reds, applied in gentle washes, create a sense of lightness and airiness. It’s like the colors themselves are exhaling. I wonder, what was the artist thinking about as they rendered the delicate lace and the flowing lines of those silk pajamas? Were they dreaming of flapper dresses and jazz music? There's a whole world of art deco, of Tamara de Lempicka and Erté in this image, yet its simplicity gives it a character all its own. We artists, we’re all in a conversation, aren't we? We inspire each other, borrow from each other, and keep the energy flowing across time.