Coat c. 1900

Curator: Here we have a fascinating garment, known simply as "Coat," dating back to around 1900. It resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: The colors just leap out at you, don’t they? Red, blue, yellow, and black stripes—a real visual feast. It's simple yet there's an unexpected depth created by that play of color. I feel immediately energized by this piece. Curator: Indeed. Constructed from cotton, this coat offers a compelling example of textile design from that period, echoing some of the themes of the Pattern and Decoration movement. Editor: The stripes give it a strong sense of order, almost like a uniform or perhaps some kind of symbolic representation of societal structures? The linear repetition evokes ideas of routine, rhythm and a collective identity... though I suppose it could just be stripes! Curator: Or maybe a way to use all those delightful colors together? Remember that around 1900, color wasn't something to take for granted like we do now. Imagine the joy of seeing these brilliant, clean lines for the first time! Editor: You're right! It speaks volumes to how our relationship with textiles has evolved—this garment serving perhaps less as pure utility and more as something expressive, almost talismanic in its construction? Curator: Absolutely. It is interesting to consider the ways in which simple designs gain impact through repetition and bold coloration. Its power resonates still, doesn't it? Editor: It does. And it leaves me thinking about what unseen meanings, what quiet power a humble, striped coat from 1900 might carry within its folds, a century and more later. Curator: Beautifully said. Thank you for helping us really see the garment in this very modern light.