Twee ornamentele randen met arabesken 1817

Pietro Ruga created these two ornamental borders with arabesques, rendered with ink on paper. These designs, with their repetitive and symmetrical patterns, speak to the historical context of decorative arts and their function in defining spaces and objects. The arabesque, as a design motif, is rooted in Islamic art and often features flowing, intertwining lines and vegetal patterns. Its adoption into European decorative arts brings up questions of cultural exchange, appropriation, and the ways in which aesthetic forms can travel across different societies. Consider how the use of the arabesque might also play into colonial narratives. These borders, intended for ornamentation, invite us to think about how beauty and design are used to frame our worlds and our identities. They reflect the desire to bring elegance into the everyday. But what does it mean to adorn? What stories are we telling when we choose to decorate, and whose stories are left out of the frame?