Artwork
Okapi
Okapi is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1955 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 1955 by the designer Carven, “Okapi” is a modestly sized line drawing preserved in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The composition presents a solitary female figure rendered in muted brown and beige hues, with the title inscribed in the upper‑right corner.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a woman dressed in an elongated garment that combines a fitted, horizontally banded bodice with a voluminous, tiered skirt. She is accessorized with a small hat, earrings and high‑heeled shoes, suggesting a stylized portrayal of mid‑century fashion rather than a narrative scene.
Technique & Style
Executed with swift, confident strokes, the drawing emphasizes contour and silhouette over intricate detailing. The use of limited tonal variation and a loose, almost sketch‑like approach aligns with mid‑twentieth‑century illustration practices, where emphasis on shape and line often conveyed elegance with economy.
History & Provenance
Attributed to Carven, a notable French fashion house, the work dates to the mid‑1950s, a period when the brand expanded into visual and graphic expressions. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through acquisition in the late twentieth century, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s design collection.
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
Continue through works from the same source collection.
