Les Douze Mois de l'Année: Messidor 1919

Editor: We're looking at "Les Douze Mois de l'Année: Messidor" by Marthe Romme, created in 1919 using watercolor. I'm struck by its almost dreamlike quality; the figure seems to float. How would you interpret this piece? Curator: Well, to start, the decorative art style, quite evident here, speaks to the post-World War I period, a time when artists turned away from stark realism, longing to embrace the idealized and the ornamental. Note the checkered pattern, her very stylized gown; what public anxieties or desires might these types of stylistic choices address, you think? Editor: I see what you mean, almost like a return to beauty and a sense of order after chaos? This piece feels quite disconnected from reality. Curator: Exactly. Art Nouveau, particularly, often represented an escape. This image being an illustration meant it was readily available via magazines, easily consumed. What does this ease of access suggest about the role of art in society at that moment? Also, observe that although she's offering the fruits, flowers and even her heart, there’s something undeniably commercial about her pose. It reminds me of an advertisement. Editor: Hmm, interesting! So, the artist could be both embracing beauty while simultaneously engaging with a growing consumer culture? Curator: Precisely! Her offering seems very symbolic, yet it's packaged in this highly stylized, accessible form for mass consumption. Understanding how social and cultural trends shaped art allows for a deeper connection. Editor: I hadn't considered the commercial aspect before. It's fascinating to think how something so beautiful could also be so tied to the socio-political environment of its time! Curator: It illustrates the way that art shapes, and is shaped by, society!