Twelve ornamental designs for the decoration of interiors 1845 - 1900

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise made these twelve ornamental designs for the decoration of interiors on a single sheet, with pencil, pen and ink and graphite. These drawings reflect a culture of design that looked to the past for inspiration. Made in France, they engage with a historical consciousness typical of early 20th-century design. Notice how they borrow from Medieval and Renaissance motifs. The image of the Virgin and Child in the lower center is a clear example. Such revivalist tendencies are a response to industrialization and the rise of mass production. Designers sought to recover the craftsmanship and aesthetic values of pre-industrial societies. This was a self-consciously conservative movement that aimed to ennoble the present by evoking the values of the past. Understanding these designs requires understanding the institutions and social anxieties that shaped their creation. Further research into design history and the socio-economic conditions of France at the time will give more information.