The Wings are Sewn on the Party Dress 

Editor: This watercolor drawing, “The Wings are Sewn on the Party Dress” is by Gerda Wegener, though the exact date is unknown. It has such an ethereal and subtly erotic atmosphere to it. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed. Look at how Wegener layers symbols of transformation. The wings, obviously, speak to aspiration and perhaps a desire for escape from the self, but escape to where, and at what cost? Notice the mirror behind the woman, not reflecting her image but rather a point of light, an elusive ideal. Editor: So the wings aren't necessarily literal wings? Curator: They are representative, suggestive. Observe the figure at the bottom—Cupid, masked. What does it mean to veil love, to cloak its true nature? This piece may be reflective of shifting identities of Wegener and her partner. What do you make of the candle burning brightly next to what seem to be cosmetics or perfumes? Editor: Perhaps it represents fleeting beauty, soon to burn out, or a reminder that appearances are often constructed, carefully maintained, much like the angel-like image reflected back through the symbolism within the oval itself? Curator: Precisely! Wegener’s symbolism pulls from shared visual languages, immediately recognizable. Note how these details and images construct an emotional space that goes beyond mere portraiture and into something much deeper about the anxieties and thrills of performance. Editor: That is fascinating. It’s almost a secret language hidden within the art, isn't it? Curator: Yes! The party dress is as much of a disguise as it is a liberation. These details of dress, reflection and veiling hint at deeper complexities than might first be visible. Editor: Thank you. I hadn't considered how much meaning was packed into those small details, it really changes how I see the work.