Panel (Furnishing Fabric) c. 1820

Philippe Wyngaert created this furnishing fabric, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is a single panel of cloth printed with pastoral scenes in shades of red. These scenes reflect the values of the European Enlightenment. They depict figures from the upper classes enjoying leisure time in idealized natural settings, a demonstration of their social and economic privilege. The imagery evokes a specific kind of exclusive space, a retreat from the demands of labor and the public eye. In whose homes might such fabric be found, and what statements about status and taste would it convey? This fabric can be seen as part of a broader development in the history of design. Textile production was becoming increasingly industrialized, fueling consumer demand for fashionable goods. Museum collections and design archives can provide further insight into the social and economic context surrounding this furnishing fabric. Understanding its historical origins allows us to interpret the cultural values embedded in its imagery.