Artwork
Mandarin
Mandarin is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1953 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 1953, the drawing titled “Mandarin” is part of the collection at the Museum of Ethnography. The work is attributed to the French fashion house Carven, known for its mid‑century designs. It presents a single figure rendered in line drawing, offering a concise visual study of contemporary style.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a woman in a long, pink overcoat with a high collar, black gloves, a hat, and white heels. She looks to her left, her face clearly visible, conveying an air of poised elegance. The attire and posture suggest a figure of cultivated taste, perhaps embodying the fashionable urban woman of the early 1950s.
Technique & Style
Executed in a clean, linear manner, the drawing relies on precise contours and limited shading to define form. The minimalistic approach emphasizes shape and silhouette over texture, creating a refined visual economy. This restrained aesthetic aligns with the period’s modernist tendencies toward simplicity and clarity in illustration.
History & Provenance
The piece dates to the early 1950s, a time when Carven was expanding its reputation beyond clothing into visual representation of its designs. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through acquisition (or donation) in the latter half of the 20th century, where it remains on view as an example of mid‑century fashion illustration.
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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