Couple with Cupid 

Gerda Wegener created this watercolor and ink work, 'Couple with Cupid', during the height of the Art Deco movement. The artist's choice of media—watercolor and ink—lends itself to both spontaneity and meticulous detail. Look at how Wegener uses the fluid properties of watercolor to create soft, translucent washes of color, particularly noticeable in the figures' clothing and skin tones. These are offset by crisp, precise ink linework, defining the contours of objects and adding depth through hatching and cross-hatching. Notice the woman, seated on a stool, who is caught in the act of sewing. This is a common, everyday scene turned into an artful depiction. Wegener’s focus on the act of making here, in contrast to the man’s passive posture, invites us to consider the roles assigned to men and women, and the labor involved in maintaining a polished, domestic image. By elevating the act of sewing to the level of fine art, Wegener challenges traditional hierarchies and invites us to consider the value of craft and the labor of women.