Gazette du Bon Ton, 1914 - No. 1, Pl. IV: Les Préparatifs de Noël / Robe d'après-midi de Redfern 1914

Francisco Javier Gosé's "Gazette du Bon Ton" from 1914 is a chromolithograph, a symphony of delicate lines and soft colors. I can imagine Gosé working meticulously, layering each hue, trying to capture a fleeting moment of holiday preparation. I wonder what it was like for him, living on the cusp of a world war, creating images of elegance and leisure. The cool blues and pinks evoke a sense of calm, but the sharp, angular shapes of the figures hint at the anxieties bubbling beneath the surface. The woman’s gown falls in straight lines; the child’s dress with its bow seems to float. Look at the way the ornaments are placed on the tree – carefully, almost tentatively. It's like Gosé is searching for a sense of order and beauty amidst the chaos. It reminds me of how we, as artists, often use our work to make sense of the world around us. Like Vuillard who was working at the same time, Gosé made these lithographs for the journal of the same name, showing us the way people were living and dressing at the time. Artists are always speaking to each other across time, aren't they? We try to give form to the formless, to capture the ephemeral, and to create something that resonates with others, even a century later.