Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costumes Parisiens, 1914, No. 142 : Manon

H. Robert Dammy made this print, "Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costumes Parisiens, 1914, No. 142 : Manon" with what looks like pen and ink. The lines are so delicate, so even, it’s like he’s dancing with the ink, letting it lead him across the page. Looking at it, the paper itself is part of the story. It's got this handmade quality, deckled edges, like it was torn just so. And then the dress, oh my god, it's a marvel of stripes and swirls. Some straight lines, some curved, but all working together to give you this feeling of movement, of a woman gliding through a room. Check out the way the artist has used black and white to define the form of the dress, those vertical lines are like bold strokes, anchoring the whole image. It reminds me of the fashion plates by Erté, but there's something more playful here, more loose. It's like Dammy is saying, "Fashion is art, but art is also a little bit of a joke."