The smoking jacket ceased to be merely utilitarian loungewear during the Belle Époque. It evolved into a marker of belonging to a private male community where political decisions and social connections were forged. Victor Penyasco’s smoking jacket—a Spanish dandy’s piece miraculously preserved because it remained at home—is a unique artifact. It symbolizes the delicate boundary between public splendor and private vulnerability, between life and oblivion.
Capsule
The capsule consists of three graphic prints arranged as a single narrative—immersing the viewer from the outside world into the core of a masculine ritual and its subsequent dissolution into history. The composition and stylistic approach of all three works are based on the aesthetic of an exquisite, slightly surreal linear sketch from the early 20th century. The delicate black line, abundant white space, and subtle crosshatching create a feeling of fragility, reminiscent of an antique fashion magazine.
//1// Threshold The first image represents the point of entry. It is a metaphor for the boundary between the public sphere (a drawing-room, a ship’s deck) and the private world of the gentlemen’s club. The elegant keyhole from which smoke pours symbolizes the exclusivity of this world and, simultaneously, curiosity. We are on the outside, but the smoke is already seeping through the shadows, inviting us to look inside.
//2// Ritual The second image transports us inside the room, focusing on the details. A close-up of a man’s hand with a starched cuff holding a cigar is the quintessence of dandiesque elegance. There is no face here, but there is gesture, status, and control. The folds in the sleeve fabric, the impeccable cuff, and the thin wisps of smoke accentuate the Belle Époque aesthetic.
//3// Brotherhood The third image is a generalization. Two ephemeral figures, woven from clouds of cigar smoke, embody the masculine community itself. They are obscured by the haze—their faces erased—and they are equal in the face of fate.
