Journal des Dames et des Modes, 1912, Costumes Parisiens, no. 8 1912

This illustration, titled 'Journal des Dames et des Modes, 1912, Costumes Parisiens, no. 8', was made by George Barbier in 1912 and it's all about line and color. It’s like Barbier is saying, let’s see how much we can do with just a little bit. The muted palette is so striking; a whisper of color. The blush on the model's cheeks is as important as the folds in her dress. There's this sense of understated elegance, right? The roses she holds are like these little pops of rebellion, a contrast to the muted tones everywhere else. They point to artifice, but also to life. The whole thing is a reminder that art is always in conversation, borrowing and responding, like a game of telephone across generations. There’s no one way to see it, and that’s the beauty of it.