Ontwerp voor een tapijt c. 1854 - 1864

This is a carpet design made on paper by an anonymous designer. It is a riot of color and botanical forms. Before industrial manufacturing, the design process, especially for textiles, was a highly skilled craft. Institutions, such as guilds and royal workshops, controlled production methods and design standards. Although we do not know the exact origin of this particular design, carpet weaving in many parts of the world had complex and hierarchical production systems. Court-sponsored workshops, for instance, often imposed specific iconographic and symbolic programs. The imagery was often less about individual expression and more about conveying status and power. To get a clearer sense of this design’s origin, a historian would want to research pattern books, guild records, and the iconography of carpets from various cultures. Only by understanding the social and institutional context can we truly appreciate the meaning embedded in this colorful design.