Très Parisien, 1921, ca. : GITANE / Je vaincrai ce soir,.. 1920

This is a print called 'Très Parisien, 1921, ca. : GITANE / Je vaincrai ce soir,' and it was made by an anonymous artist. Look at the flat planes of yellow and the black outlines that describe the figure. I'm thinking about how this artist might have been thinking about the way we look at fashion, not as a literal transcription, but as an attitude. I can imagine them, mixing inks, trying to get the right tone, a hue to capture the spirit of Paris in the 20s. Think of the gesture of the arm, the hand barely touching the chest, as if to say "tonight, I will conquer." This piece reminds me of other artists, like Erté, who were capturing the spirit of their time. They were all in conversation with one another, sharing ideas and inspiring creativity. The artist creates a conversation through line and color that feels like an echo, a whisper from the past that speaks to our present.