Très Parisien, 1923, No. 4: 9. - PESAGE. 1. Une élégante robe de crêpe Gothique... 1923

Editor: This is a fashion plate titled "Très Parisien, 1923, No. 4: 9. - PESAGE. 1. Une élégante robe de crêpe Gothique..." It’s by J. Dory, made in 1923, using mixed media printmaking. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The drawing evokes the elegance of the Art Deco era. I find the dresses’ geometric patterns and the muted colors very striking. What symbolism or cultural context do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, consider that clothing, then and now, broadcasts identity and aspiration. What do you read into the specific design choices here? Look at the emphasis on linear forms. How does that inform our understanding of the 1920s woman, in contrast to prior periods? Editor: I suppose the streamlined silhouettes and geometric designs of the dresses suggest a modern woman, someone breaking free from the constraints of earlier fashions. They want to convey practicality and a kind of understated luxury. Curator: Exactly. These weren't merely clothes; they represented the cultural shift towards greater social freedom for women after World War I. See how even the title "Très Parisien," very Parisian, implies that these styles symbolize a certain ideal of liberated and cosmopolitan womanhood? What other visual cues reinforce that notion? Editor: I notice the flapper-style headwear and the way the figures are posed with confidence. And the choice of materials, the crepes and organdie mentioned in the text, speaks to luxury. It's about wanting both elegance and comfort. Curator: Precisely! Think of Art Deco itself – that’s the era in material form. Clean lines, geometrical figures inspired by newly accessible ancient artworks. Those became symbols for hope after all the destruction of the War. Now that you know that, doesn’t this fashion plate embody even more meaning than originally apparent? Editor: Definitely! Understanding the context gives the image so much more resonance. It is interesting how clothing is never really ‘just clothes’, it’s always linked to identity and society.