Femme à la coiffe 1929

Jean Dupas made this drawing in 1929, it depicts a woman arranging her hair. The soft rendering, elegant stylisation, and classical references are all hallmarks of the Art Deco movement. Made in France, this movement was one that embraced modernity and luxury, following the horrors of the First World War. Here, the artist references the French Rococo. The elaborate curls are reminiscent of the wigs worn at the court of Versailles, but the simplified forms and muted palette are unmistakably modern. Dupas exhibited at the Société des Artistes Décorateurs, and the composition's emphasis on decoration reflects this. However, this work also complicates the notion of modernity, through the inclusion of historical reference. The drawing could be said to represent the anxieties and fascinations of the interwar period. To understand the artist's aims, we must look to period sources, such as exhibition reviews, fashion magazines, and social commentaries. The meaning of art is contingent on its social context.