Les Cerises 1922 - 1926

George Barbier's "Les Cerises" is like a whimsical daydream sketched in the palest pastels. It’s the kind of image that makes you wonder, what was Barbier thinking? Was he imagining a playful scene, a kind of fashionable fairy tale? The colors here, those delicate pinks, blues, and greens, feel so light and airy. The woman is a delightful vision, perched high in a tree, with a basket overflowing with cherries. Her companion is stuck on a ladder looking up at her, perhaps hoping for a taste of those juicy fruits. I love how the branches cradle the figures, creating a sense of enclosure and intimacy. The details, like the frills on her dress or the pattern on his vest, add another layer of visual interest. It reminds me of other artists who were also exploring decorative and stylized forms, like Erté or even some of the Art Nouveau illustrators. Barbier and those artists remind us that painting is always an ongoing conversation, each artist building on what came before, adding their own unique voice to the mix.