L’ Ilot 1914

George Barbier probably made this dreamy image, L’Ilot, using watercolor or gouache, maybe even pochoir, sometime in the early 20th century. The scene is suffused with nostalgia; there’s a tension between the stylized figures, the crisp lines, and the soft washes of color that make up the sea and sky. What were they thinking, these figures posed on a beach? Are they actors, dancers, or just folks enjoying a day out? I imagine Barbier, with his meticulous eye, carefully layering each tone to create that sense of delicate balance, and, as a painter myself, I can empathize with that process of building up an image through careful consideration. This image reminds me a little of Erté, another artist working in the Art Deco period. There's a similar sensibility for theatricality and fashion, but Barbier brings something unique. Artists inspire each other across time, don’t they? It’s one big, ongoing conversation.