Très Parisien, 1923, No 5: 17.- TIMIDITÉ. - 1. Robe de voile... 1923

Editor: So, this is a drawing called "Trés Parisien, 1923, No 5: 17.- TIMIDITÉ. - 1. Robe de voile..." from 1923. It's at the Rijksmuseum, and I find it intriguing! It kind of screams Art Deco, you know? With its elegant flatness and stylized figure. It seems to be an advertisement or something like that, but there is also something quite playful to the image... What do you see in this piece that maybe I am missing? Curator: "Timidité," or Timidity—isn’t that delicious? And yes, terribly Art Deco. It’s one of those works that seems light on its feet, flitting by, but actually has quite a bit to say about the era. I like to imagine it not as an advert, but as a kind of cultural dispatch from Paris. Look how the flowers almost tremble around the edges, those bold, almost cartoonish ribbons juxtaposed with what’s meant to be perceived as high fashion. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way – like a dispatch. And I agree; the way the flat, stylized rendering of the flowers on her dress clashes a bit with the overall air of sophisticated fashion. It is more complex than it initially appeared. Curator: It speaks, perhaps, to the anxiety and excitement around the evolving role of women in society during the '20s. What did it mean to be modern? Stylish? It's a fascinating dance between traditional ideals and the avant-garde. Plus, can we talk about the colour palette? That limited range is doing SO much. Editor: That makes total sense. The bold shapes and minimal colours really lock it into that era and gives it such a strong graphic quality. Thinking about this drawing as a document of that time definitely reframes the way I understand it. Thanks for sharing! Curator: My pleasure! Now, off to decode other visual mysteries!