Art - Goût - Beauté, Feuillets de l' élégance féminine, Mai 1929, No. 105, 9e Année, p. 19 1929

R. Drivon made this fashion plate, ‘Art – Goût – Beauté’, in Paris, back in May 1929. It's a simple piece, but it captures something about the spirit of the time through understated marks, and the delicate, muted palette. The colors are translucent, like watercolor washes, and the lines are thin and suggestive rather than descriptive. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the physical process, the hand of the artist. Look at the hem of the dress on the left. The loose, slightly uneven strokes create a sense of movement, a subtle energy that enlivens the whole composition. You can almost hear the rustle of silk. Drivon's aesthetic reminds me of Charles Demuth. Both were interested in the interplay between commercial art and fine art. They embraced ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own associations and interpretations to the work.