‘Les dessous’ is one of those lovely French words which has a range of implications, all of which are utilised in this ‘survey’ of women and their undergarments. Les dessous du demi-siècle can translate as The Secrets of the Last Half Century, or Bottoms in the Last Half Century, or Underwear in the Last Half Century. Take your pick; whichever you choose, the anonymous author of this volume, and Jean Dulac as its illustrator, take very opportunity to display shapely young women in deshabille, creating a very 1950s display of what was then considered edgily titillating yet just about acceptable in polite company.

This was Dulac’s last book commission, probably a favour to the acquaintance who wrote the text and published the book as ‘un amateur’. The colour work is not as polished as his earlier work, but the compositions have all the Dulac wit and confidence.

Les dessous du demi-siècle was published in a limited, numbered and boxed edition of 1,500 copies.