Artwork
Kartoum
Kartoum is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1959 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 1959, the drawing titled “Kartoum” is attributed to the French fashion house Carven. The image is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑century fashion illustration.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a woman in a tailored gray suit, complete with a lapel‑collared jacket and a knee‑length pencil skirt. She wears a white shirt, short bobbed hair, and high‑heeled shoes, conveying a poised, professional elegance characteristic of post‑war women’s attire.
Technique & Style
Executed with clean, unembellished lines, the drawing relies on minimal shading to define form. The restrained approach emphasizes the silhouette and tailoring of the clothing, reflecting the sleek aesthetic of 1950s high‑fashion illustration.
History & Provenance
The work entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings sometime after its creation, though precise acquisition details are not recorded. Its presence in the museum links fashion illustration to broader ethnographic studies of cultural dress.
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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