Artwork
Toison
Toison is a drawing by Madeleine & Madeleine. It dates from 1924 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 1924 by the collaborative duo Madeleine & Madeleine, the work titled Toison is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The image presents a solitary female figure rendered in a restrained palette, set against a muted, light‑brown backdrop that emphasizes the contrast between the subject’s dark attire and the surrounding space.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a woman in a black dress adorned with delicate lace, its high neckline and short sleeves suggesting early‑twentieth‑century fashion. She stands with her left hand placed over her chest, her hair gathered in an updo, and gazes to her left with an expression that is neither overtly emotive nor narrative, inviting contemplation of poise and self‑containment.
Technique & Style
The artists employ a combination of cross‑hatching and stippling to build tonal variation, particularly evident in the folds of the dress and the texture of the hair. These fine, intersecting lines create a subtle depth that softens the starkness of the black garment while preserving a sense of material richness within the limited color scheme.
History & Provenance
Since its completion in the mid‑1920s, Toison has remained in the custody of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as part of the institution’s holdings of early modern visual culture. The work’s provenance is straightforward, with no recorded changes of ownership beyond its acquisition by the museum shortly after its creation.
Artist & collection
Artist
These artists left a small but striking set of 1924 drawings and designs that mix fashion and line.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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