"Tulipes Hollandaises" (textile) 1889

The House of Worth created this textile piece called “Tulipes Hollandaises,” which is now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The dark fabric serves as a canvas for the vividly colored tulips that cascade down the textile, immediately capturing the viewer's eye. The structure of the piece relies heavily on contrast. The black background throws the red and yellow tulips into sharp relief, creating a dynamic visual rhythm. The composition is not merely decorative; the strategic placement of each tulip, along with its leaves, suggests an intention to explore depth and perspective within the textile medium. This brings the tradition of painting into dialogue with fashion. Moreover, the choice of tulips—a flower historically associated with luxury—plays a key role. What’s particularly intriguing is how this piece destabilizes the traditional hierarchy between art and craft, challenging us to reconsider how we assign value and meaning to different forms of artistic expression.