Les Douze Mois de l'Année: Brumaire 1919

Marthe Romme made this image, 'Les Douze Mois de l'Année: Brumaire,' with a graphic style, probably using stencils or printmaking techniques, and look at that color palette of grays, black, purple and white! The fun thing is how Romme renders the volume of the dress, giving it this weird, almost balloon-like quality. The execution is crisp, but the concept is wonderfully bizarre. I love how the check pattern seems to warp and bend with the shape, like reality itself is being distorted. And the dark, almost menacing clouds in the background really add to the surreal, dreamlike atmosphere. Take note of the cobblestones on the street; these are like simple marks or gestures which suggest a wider field of vision and experience. For me, this print shares something with the work of Hannah Höch, in its playful approach to form and unusual combination of elements. Romme's work embraces ambiguity, inviting us to explore the boundaries of our own imagination.