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This is a hand coloured and plate-signed pochoir from the book "Les
Choses de Paul Poiret". Poiret was the grand haute couture designer who commissioned Lepape for this landmark book published February 15, 1911. This was the first time in the history of fashion illustration that the elements of movement and drama were used to help feature the designer's work. Poiret's two unique couture albums, in collaboration with Iribe and Lepape, set the stage for the next 20 years - the golden age of fashion illustration - and are today regarded as seminal pieces of Art Deco design. In this image we can appreciate Lepape's lack of fear of blank spaces, where the less-is-more principle throws the gowns' design into high relief. Once again he presents his models as if on stage (daring to exhibit only their backs!) The dropped rose on the tiles bottom left not only adds essential balance to the graphics, but is also a charming reflection on the hasty excitement of the women who rushed to see the fireworks.
H.12.0in X W.10.625in; H.30.5cm X W.27.0 |
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