Sheet with overall pattern of triangles and dots 1800 - 1900

Curator: This intaglio print on paper, which the Met attributes to an anonymous artist, dates to somewhere between 1800 and 1900. The title is simply 'Sheet with overall pattern of triangles and dots.' Editor: Well, "simply" is the right word. At first glance, it kinda feels like staring at bathroom tile for too long. A little dizzying, maybe? Curator: It certainly presents a striking visual texture. We should contextualize this work within the Pattern and Decoration movement. Think about the broader implications. Often dismissed as "decorative," this movement championed ornamentation and surface design as valid artistic expressions, reclaiming them from their historical association with the domestic and feminine. Editor: Ah, a total flip on the traditional hierarchy of the arts. Craft gets to play with the fine arts. So it’s a subtle act of rebellion then. The perfect way to mask a revolution, hide it in plain sight! It almost feels… coded? Curator: In a way, yes. By embracing repetitive motifs, the artist subverts the Western art tradition that privileges originality. It challenges established norms regarding beauty and artistic value, much like movements emerging throughout modernism. Editor: But what did these shapes mean to people a century or two ago? Were dots and triangles the TikTok dances of their time, holding secret social currency? Curator: We may not ever know. But the anonymous nature of the artist becomes significant. Perhaps the artist's identity was deliberately concealed because the work diverged too drastically from prevailing artistic standards. Think about the intersectionality between art, gender, and social constraints during that time. Editor: So, each dot and triangle suddenly has weight, representing untold stories and voices, echoing across the centuries. The silence around the artist becomes a statement itself. Curator: Precisely. Its aesthetic simplicity allows us to appreciate its revolutionary message. Editor: Next time I stare too long at the bathroom tiles, I will think twice. Thanks for pointing this out. Curator: Thank you, I'm glad this dialogue shifted your perception.