Fémina, MODES, ca. 1914 : L'HEURE DU FOOTING (...) c. 1914

This is a fashion plate from Fémina Modes, ca. 1914, and it’s ink and gouache on paper. The image is made with these flat, graphic colors, like the printer was rationing ink. You get the sense of the process of making the image. The palette is mostly muted greens and browns, but then you have these pops of salmon and cream. They make a family of colors that’s almost edible! I’m drawn to the woman on the left. The folds in her skirt have this beautiful rhythm and flow. There's this real push and pull between representation and abstraction. It's like the artist is winking at us, saying, “Yes, I know I’m drawing a skirt, but I’m also just playing with shapes and lines.” The overall effect is both stylish and a little bit absurd. It reminds me of Matisse's paper cutouts – that same sense of playfulness and joy in the act of making. I think fashion plates, like art, are always having a conversation across time.