A Chilly Morning in Luxembourg 1921

Curator: Alice Bailly created "A Chilly Morning in Luxembourg" in 1921, using oil paint to portray a distinctly modern subject in a slightly flattened, angular space. Editor: First impressions? She seems so reserved, almost melancholic. I’m instantly curious about what she’s thinking on this chilly morning, wrapped up as she is. And there's such an understated, elegant beauty, a little art-deco flair. Curator: Indeed, that elegance is certainly a conscious element, positioning her firmly within the aesthetics of the 1920s. It's an aesthetic which favoured strong independent women, challenging earlier gender roles. Her confident but cool demeanor reads to me as powerful self-possession. Editor: Powerful, definitely. But maybe there’s something performative about it? Like she’s playing a role in this city, constructing an identity as she walks. Curator: Perhaps. Looking at Bailly’s broader artistic practice, there is an exploration of identity as a performed construction – an understanding rooted in early 20th-century philosophical shifts. Also consider her place as a Swiss woman working as an artist in Paris; a social outsider always adopting and shedding personae. Editor: I get that, I do. Her face lacks any defining features almost, which accentuates that sense of masked self. You know, the way she delicately handles that ring reminds me of holding onto something precious, or a secret. There's also a hint of something ominous in that gloved hand near her neck. Curator: That positioning also brings the ring into focus, as you noticed. This allows for readings through the lens of material culture and female agency, hinting at economic power, inherited status, or a deliberately cultivated image of sophisticated self-sufficiency. Editor: All things to consider. Ultimately it is up to us to bring something of ourselves when looking at art, so maybe on this occasion I just want her to lighten up and enjoy a coffee. Curator: That openness to diverse interpretive possibilities is something Bailly would want. Considering the position of the artwork today, the possibilities around gender performance are as crucial now as ever. Editor: Absolutely. In her face I can find parts of myself and everyone around me too. Now I’ll move away so others can come form their own opinion on this intriguing figure.