This is a hand coloured and plate-signed pochoir from Modes et Manieres d'Aujourd'hui, which was one of the most exclusive "lifestyle" publications to emerge from Paris (1912 to 1922). With an annual edition size of only 300, existing copies are quite rare and highly collectible. The 1914 edition, entirely illustrated by Barbier, illustrates a sensuous and hedonistic lifestyle - in this case through the ultimate indulgence of the Turkish bath, complete with exotic giant sponge and appreciative attendants. Barbier also sets the tone for interior bath decor, with the accompanying script describing the tiles and marble. The intense and vibrant pochoir colours, including the silver foil background, convey the vitality of true Art Deco. Each image in this famous series is on fine Japan paper, Highly erotic for the time, this image would only have escaped the highly liberal Parisian censors.
H. 10.875in X W. 7.125in; H. 27.6cm X W. 18.1cm |