Très Parisien, février 1922: 17.- JANOTTE

This piece, Très Parisien, Février 1922: 17.- JANOTTE, was made in February 1922 by an anonymous artist, using what looks like watercolor and ink. The way they rendered this fashion plate, it’s all about process, right? Look at the textural contrast, how the flat blocks of color create depth. The dress has these amazing, vibrant circles in red, yellow and black and there's this kind of directness that I find so appealing. It reminds me that art-making is always a conversation, even a little battle between intention and accident. Notice the shadow around her feet, a dark scrawl with scribbled bits of yellow. It almost undermines the elegance of the dress, grounding it in something more immediate, more raw. Like they wanted to inject a bit of downtown grit into uptown chic! This play between control and chaos is what makes the image so alive, so interesting. It reminds me of Man Ray, but with an added dash of playful uncertainty.