Rendezvous in the Park. Le Rendez-vous dans le parc, c1918

by Méras, Paul

Gazette du Bon Ton antique print, Le Rendezvous.
Grand Robe de soirée, de Worth. Grand evening gown with silvered fabric. Designed by Charles Worth.

Rare original fashion pochoir (stencil) c1918 by Paul Méras for La Gazette du Bon Ton (Journal of Good Style) where, from 1912 to 1925 the latest designs by Paris couturiers were introduced. Most of the fashions were painted as charming visual fashion 'narratives' to display them to their best advantage.

Gazette du Bon Ton was an exclusive publication with features on art, theatre and other pursuits of the wealthy. In each of its 10 annual issues were between 8 and 10 full page fashion illustrations, and up to 30 stencils were cut for each pochoir so successive layers of watercolour could be applied by hand. Fashion portrayal by this stencil method was perfected by skilful French artists, so pochoir (French for stencil) is used worldwide to honour them. There are only 573 different fashion pochoirs, which have always been collected and framed. 

Size of page 24 x 19cm or 9.5 x 7.5 inches