An Amazon, from Costumes Parisiens 1913

"An Amazon, from Costumes Parisiens" was made by George Barbier, probably as a print or illustration, sometime in the early 20th century. It’s so linear and graphic, with flat planes of color, that you can really see the process. The figure’s wearing this severe riding habit, a long blue dress or coat with a pop of yellow at the waist, and she’s standing in this kind of desolate landscape. There’s something melancholic about the way the color is applied so evenly, almost mechanically, but then you notice the details. Look at the gloves, they are the same color as the ground, like she is trying to touch the earth. This reminds me of the work of someone like Erte, with the same sense of fashion plate mixed with a hint of surreal, theatrical drama, but maybe with a bit more bite, a knowing wink. It’s not trying to be profound, but it’s playing with ideas of dress, identity, and the way we perform ourselves in the world. It feels modern in its ambiguity.