Artwork
Tour d'argent
Tour d'argent is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1962 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Tour d'argent, executed around 1962 by the French designer Carven, is a black‑and‑white drawing housed in the Museum of Ethnography. The work presents a solitary female figure seen from behind, dressed in a sleek, dark garment that emphasizes the line of her back and a narrow waist. The composition is rendered in a single, fluid drawing, giving the piece a sketch‑like immediacy.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a woman in a poised stance, her hair gathered loosely into a bun and one hand resting lightly on her hip. The back‑view suggests an emphasis on form and silhouette rather than narrative, inviting viewers to consider the elegance of the dress and the subtle tension of the pose.
Technique & Style
Carven employs swift, confident lines that delineate the figure with minimal detail. The drawing’s monochrome palette and the smooth rendering of the dress contrast with the sketch‑like quality of the overall execution, highlighting the artist’s focus on gesture and contour rather than surface texture.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1960s, Tour d'argent entered the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it remains accessible to the public. Its placement within an ethnographic context underscores the work’s relevance to studies of fashion, gender representation, and mid‑century visual culture.
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.
