Art-Goût-Beauté, ca. 1924 : Borgia. - Manteau du soir (...) c. 1924

This fashion plate, Art-Goût-Beauté, ca. 1924 : Borgia, is by an anonymous artist. It feels like it's made with a combination of stencils, drawing, and block printing, an assembly line of processes that's got its own quirky charm. The colors are flat and bold, orange, black, red, a palette that's both elegant and a little brash, like a confident shout in a crowded room. Look closely at how the black of the floral evening coat on the left bleeds ever so slightly, creating a blurry edge that gives the whole image a kind of wabi-sabi feel, celebrating imperfection. The way the illustration is rendered feels oddly contemporary. I can almost see echoes of artists like Erte, with his Art Deco elegance, or maybe even a bit of Warhol's pop sensibilities thrown in for good measure. It’s as if all art is a conversation, a remix of ideas that stretches across time. Here’s a piece that isn’t afraid to be open-ended, offering multiple readings.