Gazette du Bon Ton, 1914 - No. 5, pag. 153: La Palette des Dames 1914

Curator: This Art Nouveau print, "La Palette des Dames" by E. Ayres, which appeared in the "Gazette du Bon Ton" in 1914, offers a glimpse into the fashionable world of Parisian high society, showcasing not just an image, but the idea of luxury. Editor: Oh, I see that. There's a real feeling of artifice here. Look at that bold graphic style: the exaggerated eyelashes, the stark white face, and that precisely applied lipstick. It’s about constructed beauty and deliberate performance. Curator: Exactly, and the title speaks volumes. A "palette of ladies," suggesting women themselves are works of art, crafted with care and presented for consumption. Notice the feet. They mirror the same elegance. Editor: The materials emphasize this further. This isn't oil paint on canvas, but print in a magazine, meant to be consumed, reproduced, distributed... an accessible luxury for the aspirational middle class, perhaps? Not merely a celebration of feminine beauty, but about packaging and distribution. Curator: Good point! The production and consumption become intrinsically intertwined. But I see more than just a product. Look closer—that careful application of color, the flowing lines—there’s an echo of Eastern aesthetics that Ayres weaves in subtly. Editor: Mmm, and look, according to the French text, Ayres draws explicit connections between high Parisian fashion, and what he saw as the beautiful, complex miniature style of an Indian artist named Gogonendra-Nath-Tagore. Curator: So this print isn’t just about selling an idea; it's an actual conversation happening. How materials from different cultures intermingle to generate fresh aesthetic possibilities while preserving their origin stories, is interesting. Editor: The mass-produced aspect, though, always shifts the power dynamic. Here we see consumption as creative practice…a different form of value. Curator: True. And the act of embellishment of the body, through makeup and ornamentation. As an ongoing mode of subtle rebelliousness. To stand out or to simply feel pretty… Editor: In the end, it reflects a whole system where creativity is harnessed, printed, and sold. It's also deeply of its time, this piece. That's undeniable, too.