Modes et Manières d'Aujourd'hui, 1922, Pl. 5 : Aux Courses 1922 - 1923

This fashionable scene at the races, Aux Courses, was drawn by Fernand Siméon in 1922. It's got these bold, graphic lines, kind of like a woodcut, and a palette of greens, grays, and blacks, that really give it that 1920s feel. I can just imagine Siméon, pen in hand, carefully plotting out each line, each shadow, trying to capture the essence of this stylish crowd. It's like he's saying, "Okay, here's the high society, all dressed up and ready to bet." The eye travels from the women in their elegant dresses and hats, to the men with their binoculars, all set against this backdrop of leafy green. I can almost feel the excitement in the air, the anticipation of the race. But it's not just about the scene, it's about the way Siméon renders it. The textures, the patterns – they all add up to this really cool, almost theatrical vibe. You can see echoes of other artists, like Toulouse-Lautrec, but Siméon's got his own thing going on. He's part of this ongoing conversation about how to capture modern life, how to make it art.