Blad met ranken met bloemen en vruchten en enkele vogels 1740 - 1750

Simon Haichele made this drawing of tendrils with flowers, fruit, and birds with pen and watercolor. It is one of many such drawings that have been preserved. While its date and origin are not precisely known, it is clearly based on the patterns found on textiles, wallpapers, and other decorative objects used in the domestic interior. The drawing may be preparatory, a design used by artisans working in manufactories across Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. But it also raises the question of art’s relation to the everyday world, a question that preoccupied many artists working at the time. In whose home might one find such decoration, and what does this tell us about the social function of art? Was it intended only to please the eye, or might it have also served as a means of social differentiation? Understanding it better requires a deep dive into period pattern books and design archives. By understanding the social context of art, we can grasp its full meaning and power.