Journal des Dames et des Modes, 1912, Costumes Parisiens, no. 20: Fourreau crèpe blanc (...) 1912

This fashion plate, titled "Journal des Dames et des Modes", was made by Charles Martin in 1912. The colors are just so of the time: soft greens and purples. You can tell that it's an illustration, a drawing or print, made with flat blocks of color. I find myself drawn to the way the artist handles the surface. There's a graphic quality to the composition, especially in the black and white checkered floor, but it also has these soft areas, like the purple blossoms. It's a simple drawing, with its thin lines, but there's so much information packed in here. You can see the way the clothes hang, the way the model is posing, even the kind of shoes she's wearing. All of that is delivered in a way that is understated, a little quiet. This reminds me a bit of Dufy. It's of a similar time, and it has a similar spirit, interested in color but not really interested in depth. Both are masters of their own medium and leave us with something which suggests style is so much more than what you wear.