Dunlop, la balle des champions 1929

Editor: Here we have "Dunlop, la balle des champions," a print created in 1929 by Jean d'Ylen. There’s something so buoyant and energetic about this poster, and the out-of-proportion racket gives it a playful mood. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, yes! What strikes me immediately is how it encapsulates the spirit of the Art Deco era with its sleek lines and bold typography. The tennis player almost looks like she's dancing, don’t you think? Like she's caught in a moment of pure athletic joy. I'm also intrigued by the colour palette, very distinct isn’t it, particularly the contrasting blues and the golden fonts? Editor: Absolutely, she does look like she's dancing. I wonder about the use of caricature though, and how it feeds into the advertisement of sports equipment. Does it diminish her athleticism somehow, or does it make the image more approachable? Curator: A very interesting question! I think it is both a diminishment, in that there’s a sort of humorous self-awareness to the design, and it does this precisely in the function of the accessibility and memorability. The style serves the marketing as it creates a playful association for Dunlop's products. Isn't it curious how art finds itself intertwined with the most commercial endeavors? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn’t considered. The caricature is not about ridiculing, but rather about inviting everyone to play. Thank you for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure! It’s a reminder that even in seemingly straightforward images, there are always layers of interpretation waiting to be discovered, like hidden treasures, if you will. And really, that is the best part about looking at art, right?