Fantasia 

Editor: So, this drawing is called "Fantasia," and it’s attributed to Erté. It's on paper and looks like it uses ink. It reminds me a little of a fashion sketch. What draws your eye in this work? Curator: Initially, the interplay between the two figures demands scrutiny. The contrast in their presentation—one framed, almost suspended, the other grounded—sets up a compelling formal dynamic. Consider the linework: observe how the unwavering, decisive strokes delineate the figures and costumes, creating a flattened, graphic quality. Editor: I see that—especially in the round frame around one figure. But what about the negative space? It feels really deliberate. Curator: Indeed. The considered use of negative space is critical here. Notice how it serves to isolate and emphasize the figures, contributing to the image's overall sense of poised artifice. It also reinforces a certain ambiguity. Is one figure a reflection, or perhaps a performer and her admirer? Do you see any dissonance or asymmetry? Editor: The two women seem so different, and I think that their shapes work almost in opposition: round vs angled, up vs down... Curator: An interesting reading. I would propose the drawing operates successfully due to its masterful deployment of graphic elements. Through line, shape and colour, Fantasia becomes a study of form, devoid of external narrative dependence. Editor: This close looking makes me consider that fashion, even when recorded, can offer a certain commentary on shapes. Thanks. Curator: Agreed. By analyzing visual structures of the work alone, we learn a great deal about its design and the fashion, and open space itself.