Les femmes fatales 1933

Curator: The artwork before us is Gerda Wegener's "Les femmes fatales" created in 1933 using watercolor. What strikes you first about this piece? Editor: An immediate lightness and luminosity. The watercolour imbues the scene with an airy, almost dreamlike quality, softened by the almost pastel coloring and graceful arrangement of figures. Curator: It's a fascinating encapsulation of Art Deco sensibilities, rendered with an intimate touch. Wegener, as a prominent figure in the Parisian art scene of the 1920s and 30s, often portrayed women in contexts that both celebrated and subtly challenged societal norms. Do you perceive any narrative elements emerging from the composition itself? Editor: Absolutely. The figures are strategically positioned to draw your eye from the top, in a 'zig zag' arrangement. It lends an operatic feel, maybe some romantic entanglements playing out; the white dresses of the protagonists are almost theatrical costumes. How do you think it plays into the visual culture of the period? Curator: The work echoes the rise of celebrity culture and the idolization of feminine beauty in interwar Europe, especially within queer circles. Wegener's personal life and her partner, Lili Elbe's journey with gender identity inevitably shaped the artistic expression that was being created, offering both a refuge and commentary on the period's rigid societal structure, even challenging expectations and blurring lines. Editor: True. The subtle details such as the pale color palette reinforce a sort of idealized beauty, maybe even vulnerability that the composition as a whole projects. Are there symbolist elements at work, hidden in this "Femme Fatale"? Curator: While the title hints at "fatal women," Wegener presents a subtler version, reflective of an evolving definition of female power during her time. Editor: Well, this piece’s gentle lines certainly gave me food for thought and invited some really different interpretations. Curator: Indeed, exploring "Les femmes fatales" allowed us to reconsider historical roles. I enjoyed it.