Art - Goût - Beauté, Feuillets de l' élégance féminine, Mars 1932, No. 139, 12e Année, p. 8 1932

Editor: This watercolor illustration is titled *Art - Goût - Beauté, Feuillets de l'élégance féminine, Mars 1932,* made in 1932 by R. Drivon. I'm struck by the elegance, and it looks like a glimpse into the fashion trends of that era. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This is Art Deco at its finest, echoing a yearning for sophistication. Beyond fashion, notice how the artist uses color to evoke subtle emotions. The shades, muted browns, and creams create a feeling of refined, yet restrained elegance. It is interesting to explore this aesthetic after the Great War. Do you notice other images or symbols echoing in this work? Editor: I see the clothes! They’re quite detailed, I suppose they could also function as symbols. Curator: Indeed, each dress design, hat style, and even the way the figures are posed speaks volumes about social ideals and aspirations of the time. Notice also the gaze: The slight turn of the figures implies there’s more beyond the picture; perhaps a performance for social interaction. Fashion as symbol for class and taste. What else comes to mind? Editor: I guess, the way they carry themselves, very upright and poised… It almost looks as if these are statuesque deities more than ordinary humans. Curator: You're on to something. The artist invites us to see more than mere figures; Drivon captures their psychological presence, using symbolic tools of that period. They may reflect an evolving view of women in society or anxieties of the new economic and geopolitical context of that time. This image holds quite a story! Editor: It’s been an amazing realization to understand the symbolic depth of an artwork that appeared, at first glance, simple. I see now how this goes beyond surface appearance. Curator: Agreed. These artworks help reveal collective stories, expressed in personal symbols that influence how we see and relate to our past.