Mise-en-carte (Point-paper) 1760 - 1790

This is a ‘mise-en-carte’ or ‘point paper’ design, made by the French firm Germain Frères. It’s a hand-painted design for a woven textile. Floral patterns like this were a mainstay of the textile industry in France and elsewhere. This design gives us a window into the complex social world of textile production. The grid you can see was crucial. Each square represents a single stitch, allowing weavers to accurately reproduce the design on a loom. This division of labor involved designers, colorists, and skilled weavers who translated paper designs into fabric. These textiles weren't just decorative; they were a signifier of status and taste. The industry was supported by elaborate systems of training. Museums of industrial art played a key role in establishing standards of taste and providing models for designers to copy. To understand this design fully, we might look at pattern books, trade records, and museum collections to understand the context and how institutions shaped design and production.