Elegant Woman
ca. 1920
Gerda Wegener captures the ultimate 1920s glamour in this oval portrait, featuring a stylish woman draped in feathers, wearing a massive hat, and posing against a starry, gold-streaked background. Blending Art Nouveau elegance with modern flair, Wegener was a highly successful fashion illustrator known for depicting independent, chic women. Her personal life was even more fascinating than her art: she famously encouraged her husband, Einar, to model for her paintings in women's clothing, a journey that eventually led him to become Lili Elbe, one of the first known recipients of gender confirmation surgery.