Artwork
Chou
Chou is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1958 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1958 by the fashion house Carven, this drawing—titled “Chou”—is part of the collection at the Museum of Ethnography. Rendered in muted earth tones, the work presents a solitary female figure against an unadorned off‑white backdrop, directing the viewer’s focus to the subject’s attire and posture.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a woman dressed in a refined ensemble: a long‑sleeved jacket with a high collar and a row of front buttons, paired with a knee‑length, waist‑fitted skirt. Her hair is gathered in a tidy updo, and she stands in high‑heeled shoes, suggesting a moment of poised, contemporary femininity.
Technique & Style
Carven employs a limited palette of warm beiges and browns, allowing subtle variations in tone to convey the texture of fabric and the play of light on skin. Careful line work delineates the folds of the jacket and skirt, while the smooth background eliminates distraction, emphasizing the figure’s form and clothing details.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced in the late 1950s, a period when Carven was noted for modern, streamlined designs. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains a representative example of mid‑century fashion illustration within the institution’s broader ethnographic context.
Artist & collection
Artist
These delicate ink-on-paper drawings capture the quiet poetry of everyday things: pinecones, reeds, apples.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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