Wall Paper Border c. 1936

Paul Farkas created this design for a wallpaper border at an unknown date. The design features stylized floral motifs alternating with geometric shapes, all rendered in a palette of dark green, burgundy, and teal. These recurring patterns carry a historical weight, echoing motifs found in ancient friezes and textiles. Consider how similar floral patterns appear in Minoan frescoes or Persian carpets, symbolizing life, fertility, and prosperity. The adaptation of natural forms into abstract designs speaks to a human desire to impose order and meaning onto the natural world. This impulse is embedded deep within our collective consciousness. The cyclical repetition of the design taps into our innate sense of rhythm and balance. This resonates with our understanding of the world. The wallpaper, once applied, would have transformed a domestic space into an environment imbued with layers of cultural memory and symbolic meaning. The non-linear journey of these visual symbols continues, resurfacing in new forms.