Artwork
Coeur de Pierre
Coeur de Pierre is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1963 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1963 by the fashion house Carven, *Coeur de Pierre* is a modestly sized drawing held in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work presents a solitary female figure rendered in a light, sketch‑like manner, offering a glimpse of mid‑century French fashion drawing practice.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a woman dressed in a streamlined, short‑sleeved dress with a straight skirt, her hair pulled back and one hand placed on her hip. The title, French for “heart of stone,” suggests an inner firmness or reserve that contrasts with the delicate, fleeting quality of the line work.
Technique & Style
Executed with loose, rapid strokes, the drawing relies on minimal watercolor‑like washes to suggest shading and form. The economy of line and the swift application of pigment convey a sense of immediacy, characteristic of preparatory studies used in fashion design rather than a finished illustration.
History & Provenance
Carven, a prominent Parisian couture house, produced the work during a period of expanding ready‑to‑wear lines. After its creation, the drawing entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings, where it remains part of the institution’s broader collection documenting cultural and material practices.
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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