Artwork
'Piccotine'
'Piccotine' is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1949 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 1949 by the artist known as Carven, “Piccotine” is a drawing held in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work presents a solitary female figure viewed from behind, dressed in a dark‑blue garment that combines a fitted bodice with a gently flared skirt. The title appears in a modest inscription at the edge of the paper.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on the silhouette of a woman, emphasizing the structure of her attire rather than facial expression. The dress’s clean lines and modest ornamentation suggest an interest in the functional aesthetics of mid‑century fashion, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between clothing design and bodily movement.
Technique & Style
Rendered in light pencil, the drawing relies on simple, precise strokes to delineate form. The artist employs minimal shading, allowing the contrast between the dark‑blue dress and the paper’s surface to define volume. Horizontal bands on the skirt and a subtle train are suggested through faint, parallel lines, reinforcing a sense of lightness and fluidity.
History & Provenance
Since its completion in the late 1940s, “Piccotine” has remained within the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings, where it is catalogued as part of the institution’s visual documentation of fashion and textile culture. The work’s acquisition date is not publicly recorded, but it has been displayed in the museum’s thematic exhibitions on twentieth‑century 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
Continue through works from the same source collection.
