The Aperitif 1928

Gerda Wegener made this watercolour, The Aperitif, in Paris in 1924. Look closely, and you'll notice how Wegener uses a delicate touch, layering translucent washes to create a dreamlike atmosphere. It’s like she's inviting us into a private, almost secretive world. There's a sense of softness about the image, and it's really palpable in the way she renders the figures. The colours are muted, mostly greys and pastel shades, which gives the image a kind of nostalgic feel, like looking at an old photograph. But then, you notice the confident lines defining the figures, like the sharp angles of the cigarette holder and the cool detachment in the woman’s gaze. It makes you wonder what's going on beneath the surface of this chic scene, what stories are hidden beneath these layers of paint? This piece really reminds me of Tamara de Lempicka's work, both artists capture a similar mood of elegance and mystery, but it is really all Wegener.