N’ayez pas peur, petite ! ; Écosse XVIIIe siècle 1923

George Barbier made this print titled, *N’ayez pas peur, petite !* sometime in the early 20th century, imagining 18th century Scotland with flat colour and pattern. I’m so curious about the moment Barbier captured, the drama frozen in time, the man touching the woman’s face saying, “Don’t be afraid, little one!” I can imagine Barbier at his drawing table in Paris, using bright, opaque inks, carefully outlining all the shapes with a fine pen to make this fashion plate illustration. There’s so much going on with these tartans, the criss-crosses like some kind of optical puzzle, a dizzying array of colour and texture. The way Barbier contrasts the flowing lines of the capes with the rigid geometry of the patterns is really interesting. You know, what I love about painting and image making is how we’re all in conversation, echoing and riffing off each other across time. Barbier was clearly inspired by Scottish history and culture. And by looking at his print, we’re keeping that dialogue going, adding our own interpretations to the mix. It reminds me that art is never really finished, it keeps evolving with each new pair of eyes.