Art - Goût - Beauté, Feuillets de l' élégance féminine, Juin 1929, No. 106, 9e Année, p.16 1929

Curator: Looking at this watercolor illustration from 1929, "Art - Goût - Beauté, Feuillets de l'élégance féminine, Juin, No. 106" it's impossible not to place it within the shifting cultural and societal structures of the interwar period. It epitomizes a focus on modern femininity in that decade. Editor: Ah, 1929! It feels poised and utterly self-assured, doesn't it? Those geometric lines, that confident gaze...it's got that "ready for anything" vibe. Curator: Precisely. The publication "Feuillets de l'élégance féminine" was keen on establishing very specific parameters around style. The work functioned to portray codes of conduct for women negotiating the social spaces. The watercolor technique softens some of the sharper, more radical edges that could have unsettled traditional roles, but it shows the influence of Deco on women's style. Editor: And that limited palette—mostly muted earth tones, plus that vibrant blue…there's something so comforting and restrained about it, and, wow, that stylish, angular silhouette with these jazzy necklaces and geometrically ornamented hats just embodies the Art Deco vibe to the hilt. Curator: I find the narrative function very interesting. By 'narrative', I mean the carefully chosen attire signaling agency for these women within rigidly prescribed roles. The emphasis on 'elegance' also has very explicit socioeconomic meanings. Editor: Okay, you've given me a whole new set of ideas to wander about. I came in thinking simple "style," but now there are clearly layers upon layers to peel away! Curator: Exactly! And this is what situating any work in the confluence of those many, intersecting discourses reveals. Editor: Well, I certainly appreciate the insight you've given me, it is inspiring for future wanderings through other artistic endeavors!