Fémina, MODES, ca. 1914 : L'HEURE DU FOOTING (...) c. 1914

Bert made this fashion plate, Fémina, Modes, around 1914, rendering it in pen and ink and pochoir. I love to imagine the hand that moved to create it, that inky line defining and describing the fashionable figures, followed by the careful application of color. It’s got such a knowing sophistication. I imagine Bert thinking, "How can I capture the essence of style, the cut of a garment, the way it moves on the body?" The way the colors are laid down so flat and decorative reminds me of Dufy, or even the Nabis painters, but with a focus on capturing the sleek lines of modern fashion. There’s something both playful and precise in the artist’s approach, a balance that speaks to the spirit of the time. And isn’t it wonderful to see how artists, across styles and eras, echo and answer one another's creative calls? It just goes to show, painting is a conversation that never ends.