Très Parisien, 1923, No 7: 7. - FRILEUSE. - Très élégant manteau... 1923

This fashion plate from 1923 shows an elegant woman in a patterned green silk coat. I imagine the artist carefully laying down thin washes of color, letting the design emerge slowly. I wonder what the artist was thinking as they rendered each swirl and curve. Did they feel a connection to the model? Perhaps they saw her as a symbol of Parisian chic, an embodiment of modern style. The details, like the fur trim and the intricate belt, are rendered with such care. I find myself studying the way the light catches the fabric, the way the shadow suggests movement. It reminds me of Matisse's cut-outs, the way he used simple shapes to create a sense of depth and vitality. You can see a conversation happening here, a dialogue between artists across time and space. And isn’t that what art is all about?