Servet van linnendamast met vlinders c. 1904

Chris Lebeau made this linen damask cloth with butterflies, it's about 70cm square. I imagine him weaving, the shuttle flying back and forth, an elaborate dance between hand and machine. The butterflies here are stylized, almost geometric. Their wings, repeated in a frieze, suggest a kind of pattern-making obsession. I wonder what Lebeau was thinking about as he created this piece? Was he thinking about the relationship between nature and industry? Or was he simply captivated by the beauty of these winged creatures? There’s something about the subtle texture of the linen, the way it catches the light. The muted tones add to its overall calm and understated elegance. You see echoes of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. Artists like Lebeau were part of an ongoing conversation about beauty, craft, and the role of art in everyday life. These aren't just butterflies, they are tiny windows into someone else's world.