Aux Trois Quartiers Paris, Les Modes d'Hiver 6 Octobre 1913 1913

Paul Méras made this advertising poster for the Parisian department store Aux Trois Quartiers in 1913, celebrating the arrival of the winter fashions. Imagine Méras, hunched over a table, meticulously drawing each figure, balancing the need for detail with the urgency of a commercial deadline. The palette is subdued – blacks, grays, creams – which makes me think about the constraints of early printing technology. And he's using it to his advantage, creating a sophisticated and modern look. I love the stylized elegance of the figures. The slightly flattened perspective and the way he renders the textures of the fabrics with just a few strokes. Look at the hats, each one a sculptural marvel, perched jauntily on the models' heads. It reminds me of the graphic sensibility of Toulouse-Lautrec, but with a distinctly modern twist. You can feel the excitement and anticipation of a new season, a new style, a new way of seeing. The image becomes a celebration of the moment.