Le Gout des Laque 1920

George Barbier made 'Le Gout des Laque' and it’s like a breath of stylish air from the past. You can see he was probably interested in the same things that interested me: the process of artmaking. The piece is a beautiful dance of texture and color. Look at the deep reds grounding the scene, the subtle blues and greens in the clothing and jewelry, and the way he balances the stark black backdrop with those intricate details. Then there are the cranes, and the trees. It's all so stylized, yet somehow, it feels deeply personal. Take a moment to focus on the way the woman on the left drapes the beads in her hands. It's a simple gesture, but it speaks volumes about the artist's attention to detail, which reminds me of Erte. It’s the ambiguity of the narrative here that keeps it alive. It's more than just what it is; it’s what it could be.