Très Parisien, 1925, No. 11, Pl.10: Créations BECHOFF - LES TRIANGLES 1925

This fashion plate, made by G-P. Joumard in 1925, uses ink and gouache to depict women’s dresses of the time. What strikes me most about the work is its simplification of form and the overall flatness, which lends it a decorative charm. The composition is based on geometric shapes, like the triangle pattern of the dress on the left. I'm really drawn to the mark-making here. It is very deliberate, the hand of the artist is present, but the marks are applied with restraint to form an elegant composition. The color palette is restrained too, muted pinks, creams and blacks, which further reinforces the sophistication of the piece. I think this work has a kinship with Matisse's paper cutouts, and the Fauvist use of bold color. Both share a sense of joy and experimentation with form. The work reminds us that art is a constant conversation, artists building on the ideas of those who came before, and that art can, and should, be fun.