Blad met ranken met bloemen en vruchten met puntenfond 1746 - 1755

This sheet of tendrils with flowers and fruit with dotted background was made by Georg Reimund. Here we see what appears to be a design for wallpaper or fabric. The symmetry and repetition evoke ideas of industrialization, of printing and mass production. Without further research, it is impossible to know when and where Reimund was working. But the imagery of flowers and fruits is very much of a tradition in European art, evoking ideas of nature, domesticity and decoration. These images can be used as tools by the historian, taking this design to research the production and distribution of printed textiles in Europe. What were the social conditions that shaped this artistic production? Was it part of a larger movement of design reform, such as the Arts and Crafts movement in England? Ultimately, the meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.