Journal des Demoiselles, Supplement au No. 11, 1 Juin 1911, No. 4996 : Toilettes de Mmes Forcillon (...) 1911

This fashion plate from June 1911 shows two women rendered with graphite and a pastel wash. I imagine the artist leaning in close, really studying the way the fabric drapes and folds, trying to capture the essence of early twentieth-century elegance. You can almost feel the weight of that enormous, flower-laden hat on the left. The way the artist sketched the fabric gives it a sense of movement, as if the women have just turned to face us. I wonder what the artist was thinking about as they rendered these scenes? Were they dreaming of a life of Parisian fashion and high society? Each mark seems carefully considered, building up the image layer by layer. There's a real conversation happening between the artist, the subject, and the viewer, a sort of call and response across time. It's not just about showing us pretty dresses; it's about capturing a mood, a moment, a feeling. That's what makes it sing.