Design for Curtains 1841 - 1900

Editor: We’re looking at “Design for Curtains,” attributed to Charles Hindley and Sons, dating sometime between 1841 and 1900. It’s a drawing, a kind of pen and ink sketch on toned paper. There's something very light and airy about it, almost ephemeral. What captures your imagination when you look at it? Curator: You know, it whispers possibilities, doesn’t it? It’s more than just a curtain design; it’s a daydream sketched onto paper. I see the rise of industrialization impacting the rise of a Victorian aesthetic and yearning to romanticize interiors, filling their houses with decorative details like this. Imagine the light filtering through those delicate curtains. I wonder, were these curtains ever realized? What kind of room were they destined for? Editor: That's a great point; it does feel very aspirational. The sketch itself feels quite freehand, like it came straight from the designer's head. Curator: Precisely! Look at the details around the top valance, the decorative swag... each loop and flourish a testament to hand-craftsmanship. It makes me ponder the value placed on bespoke design versus mass production, then and now. Does it make you consider that push and pull as well? Editor: Definitely. There's an intimacy here that you don’t get with mass-produced things. This feels… personal. I imagine someone really cared about these curtains. Curator: And perhaps, even more deeply, they cared about the light, shadow and mood these curtains might create. Think of how those shadows might’ve danced on the walls. What a delight to capture a mere ephemeral concept into lasting art! Editor: It’s like catching a fleeting moment of beauty. Now, I’ll definitely look at curtains differently. Curator: Ah, isn't that the joy of looking closely? To glimpse the heart and imagination behind the everyday.