Fashion drawing

When Lucien Guy drew this elegant lady in 1904, the ideal woman of the period was tall and statuesque, with a small waist, a full imposing bust and a rounded bottom. This silhouette was achieved through corsetry. The early 1900s corset had a straight front and a curved back, which pushed forward the bust and pushed out the bottom, creating an exaggerated "S-bend" silhouette. This drawing clearly illustrates the effect such corsetry had on the wearer's posture, with the sitter perching on her chair and leaning forward from her hips rather than bending at the waist, which would have been impossible. Even standing, the wearer of such a corset would have leaned forward slightly, with her bust thrust forward, an effect clearly illustrated in this drawing.

Fashionable dress was designed to emphasise this silhouette. Skirts were worn straight in front, with full gathers and fullness in the back falling into a sweeping train. The bodices were cut full in front, with the fabric draped over the bust and hanging down from it, rather than being fitted to the figure, and the loose fabric was caught up into the waist, creating an overhang, sometimes described as a "pouter pigeon" effect. This is clearly shown in Guy's drawing, with the sitter obligingly leaning forward to emphasise the effect. Her high, piled hairstyle and large, elaborately trimmed front-heavy hat further enhanced her height and posture. Although the hat looks precariously poised, it would have been secured to the hairstyle with long hat-pins.

The artist, Lucien Guy was a French illustrator and caricaturist active in the early 20th century, who appears to have specialised in portraying elegant, fashionable women of the period.