A palm beach ; Tailleur, de Worth 1921

This image is 'A palm beach; Tailleur, de Worth' by George Barbier, created some time around the 1920s. The whole scene is painted in these incredible flat blocks of colour. The figure is so elegant, standing there in her perfectly fashionable Worth outfit, framed by these spiky plants and that little dog looking up at her. I wonder what Barbier was thinking as he placed each block of colour next to the other? It’s like he’s thinking about how all of these shapes and forms fit together like a well-made puzzle. I love the confident and bold way he's used the pinks and blues and purples here, it is not quite Fauvist but there is something about that way of applying flat colour. The whole composition is so balanced, so cool and calm. You can tell he’s thought about how each colour and shape interacts with the other. It’s a reminder that art is all about seeing – seeing the world in new and exciting ways, and then sharing that vision with others.