Très Parisien, 1923, No. 1: Tissus DIÉDERICHS- SOIERIES... 1923

This fashion plate called "Très Parisien, 1923" by an unknown artist from the Rijksmuseum seems to have been made with stencils or pochoir, and the flat planes of color evoke the kind of optimism that followed the first world war. The texture in the clothing in particular is suggestive of art deco design. I’m drawn to the way the artist has captured the clothing in the grey dress, with the white shapes like paisley blobs or abstracted floral shapes. It reminds me of the work of Hilma af Klint, and the way that particular forms are repeated throughout, to create a field of interest. It almost doesn't matter what the images are, just that there are so many of them, together. There is something almost Fauvist in the arbitrary use of color, like it doesn’t particularly matter what the ‘right’ color would be, only that it is in relation to the other colors in the image. This kind of arbitrary color use reminds me of the work of Matisse, although it could be seen as a part of any artists vernacular at this time. It's a great piece!