Vensters met gordijnen c. 1885 - 1895

Léon Laroche produced this print, “Vensters met gordijnen” or “Windows with Curtains,” and like many prints from this time period, its function was closely tied to the booming industry of interior design. Laroche here is presenting us with two different window treatments, “Renaissance Crossing” on the left and “Draped Crossing” on the right, each complete with complementary furniture. This was published in France, and the specific reference to the Renaissance tells us something about the aspirations of its audience – the middle and upper classes who sought to emulate the refined tastes of the aristocracy. Prints like this are fascinating for social historians. They can reveal a society’s aspirations, its aesthetic preferences, and its material culture. To fully understand this image, we could research French interior design trends of the period, examine similar prints, and study the writings of contemporary design critics. This way we can begin to understand art as something inseparable from its social and institutional context.