Artwork
Devinette
Devinette is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1957 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Devinette, attributed to the artist known as Carven and dated to around 1957, is a graphic work preserved in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The piece presents a solitary female figure rendered in a stark, white‑ground composition, emphasizing the silhouette’s clothing and posture rather than facial detail.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a woman dressed in a sleeveless, plaid‑patterned garment featuring a sailor‑style collar and high heels. Her hair is cut in a bob, a fashionable style of the mid‑twentieth century, suggesting a focus on contemporary dress and the era’s evolving notions of femininity and modernity.
Technique & Style
Executed with bold, unmodulated lines, the image relies on minimal shading to define form. The plaid motif is constructed from intersecting yellow, blue, and green strokes, creating a flat, graphic surface. This pared‑down approach reflects Carven’s characteristic preference for clean, elegant design over elaborate detail.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1957, Devinette entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains part of the institution’s visual arts collection. The work’s attribution to Carven aligns it with the artist’s broader output of simple yet refined illustrations from the post‑war period.
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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