Femme aux régates 1920

Henri Lebasque made this watercolor and gouache painting, “Femme aux régates,” probably in the early 20th century. The work is made with traditional fine art materials, and its subject is hardly radical - elegantly dressed women observing a yacht race. However, Lebasque was clearly interested in capturing a leisure activity, and also the clothes that made it possible. Notice the way that he describes their garments with fluid strokes, conveying the latest fashions. The dresses are loose-fitting, in a style popularized by Paul Poiret, liberating women from the restrictive corsets of previous eras. The fact that their dresses are handmade, in an era where industrial production was increasingly dominant, emphasizes the quiet luxury of the scene. Lebasque’s swift, seemingly effortless application of paint belies the skill required to achieve this effect. It is important to remember that behind every artwork lies a complex combination of artistic labor, social context, and material culture. By recognizing this, we can challenge the traditional separation between art and craft.