Twee deuren met gordijnen after 1878

Editor: This artwork, called "Twee deuren met gordijnen," or "Two Doors with Curtains," dates from after 1878 and it's made using drawing, print, watercolor, and ink. It feels like a sample sheet, showcasing different curtain styles. What stands out to you about it? Curator: Well, immediately, my interest lies in the materiality. Notice the layered approach: first the drawn or printed lines, then the added watercolor. This isn’t just about depicting curtains; it's about the *process* of how these designs were made accessible. Editor: Accessible how? Curator: Think about the social context. This was "decorative art" intended for a specific audience—likely middle-class consumers aspiring to a certain level of domestic refinement. How were these designs disseminated? Were they part of a larger catalog? Who was producing them, and under what labor conditions? Editor: So you see it as less about the aesthetic value and more about the manufacturing and the social implications of mass-produced design? Curator: Exactly. The "decorative art" style challenges the conventional boundary between art and craft, highlighting the material realities of production. This sheet represents the democratization of design and access to materials; it hints at new industries and consumer markets. Editor: I see what you mean. It shifts the focus from individual artistic expression to the mechanics of how design becomes a commodity. Something seemingly simple opens up a conversation about labor, production, and access. I had not initially considered that the medium tells the whole story. Curator: And perhaps next time you will! The materiality here reflects so much of its contemporary culture and the intended function, that it becomes very difficult to disassociate from those factors.