George Barbier Le Villa d'Este Pochoir Hand-coloured, plate-signed pochoir from Falbalas & Fanfreluches, 1923: This Villa is the setting is one of Italy's premiere villas, the 16thC. Tivoli home of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este. Evening washes over the balustraded balcony casting a mysterious and romantic twilight on the fashionable lady, while her paramour virtually sinks into the shadows with self-effacing adoration. The courtly, formalized show of love for Milady is offset by the New Way forward with the dropped waist and dramatic geometry of her evening wear. +++++++ This famous illustrated almanac series was produced from 1922 to 1926 only and depicted high-society life in Paris - the fashion, social and artistic capital of the early inter-war years. Each issue contained a small diary and notation section, an introduction by one of the leading social/cultural doyens of the day, a decorative cover and twelve fashion plates (one for each month of the year,) hand-coloured via stencil and watercolour/gouache. +++++++ Further Ref.: "Art Deco Costumes By George Barbier" (Introduction by Madeleine Ginsburg, Curator, V&A Museum, London) +++++++ Approx.Image Size h. 6.25in X w. 4.125in; h. 15.9cm X w. 10.5cm; Overall h. 9.75in X w. 6.375in; h. 24.8cm X w. 16.2cm