Très Parisien, 1923, No 1: Tissus et Rubans de A. PREVOST ... 1923

This fashion plate titled 'Très Parisien' Number 1 from 1923 is an anonymous work on paper. It shows a couple of smartly dressed women, and I’m immediately drawn to the one on the left with the patterned coat. It reminds me that artmaking is all about a process of layering. The paper is thin, and you can see the color seeping through in places. The anonymous artist really committed to a graphic style, using flat colors and bold outlines. The textures of the fabrics are suggested through simple patterns and shading, yet the overall effect is still very chic. Look at how the details in the coat are rendered, it's not about perfection, it's more about a sense of style and flair, a playful approach to form. This plate feels like an invitation to imagine the textures and weights of different fabrics; perhaps Erté, another artist who worked in fashion, might be a good comparison. Ultimately, this is a piece about capturing a mood, an essence, and isn’t that what art is all about?