Très Parisien, février 1922: 9.- OUARDA 1922

This fashion plate, ‘Très Parisien, février 1922: 9.- OUARDA’ by J. Dory from 1922, is a mix of careful line work and flat color, rendered with what looks like ink or gouache on paper. I can imagine Dory, pen in hand, deciding on the weight and pressure of each stroke, carefully building the image. It's a world of blues and yellows, a color combination that sings of jazz age optimism. The ribbons adorning the dress are these little graphic dashes, full of playful energy. I can imagine the artist thinking, 'How can I convey the movement of fabric, the shimmer of satin, with just a few lines and blocks of color?' I am reminded of Dufy, another artist with a wonderful sense of graphic line and playful form. There's a conversation across time happening here, where one artist inspires another. It's like a game of visual telephone, and we are all invited to play.