Artwork
Bagatelle
Bagatelle is a drawing by Carven. It dates from 1956 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Bagatelle, produced in 1956 by the designer Carven, is an image held in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work functions as a visual study rather than a completed painting, presenting a brief, gestural rendering of contemporary fashion.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing features two female figures dressed in coordinated ensembles. The taller figure wears a loose jacket and trousers topped with an oversized hat, while the shorter figure is clad in a similar, but abbreviated, dress. Both garments display a dark, leaf‑like pattern and simple collars, suggesting a unified design concept possibly identified by the title at the top of the image.
Technique & Style
Executed with swift, economical lines, the image conveys the overall silhouette and decorative details of the outfits without extensive shading or background. The sketch‑like quality indicates a preparatory approach, focusing on the arrangement of forms and pattern rather than finished surface treatment.
History & Provenance
Created by Carven in the mid‑1950s, the piece entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date. Its presence in an ethnographic institution reflects an interest in the cultural dimensions of fashion design during that period.
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.
