Design for Pink and White Curtains with Green Fringes, and Gold and White Pediments 1815 - 1825

This design for pink and white curtains with green fringes and gold and white pediments was made anonymously, with watercolor and graphite on paper. Consider the relationship between the design and the modes of production. The drawing is exquisitely detailed, showing swathes of material, and an elaborate pelmet at the top of each window. Note the level of skill required not only to make such curtains, but also to design them. The artist must have understood the behavior of textiles, and how they would fall in three dimensions. This design suggests the labor of many hands: dyers, weavers, sewers, and installers. The drawing would have served as a set of instructions for makers, translating the designer's vision into reality. It also speaks of the social context, of wealthy patrons who could afford such luxury. The artist blurs distinctions between fine art, craft, and design, emphasizing the importance of materials, making, and context.