Textile Design with Alternating Vertical and Horizontal Rows of Pearls Over a Background of Alternating Horizontal Garlands of Abstract Bushes
Medium
Gouache
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/16 × 2 3/16 in. (5.5 × 5.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession, transferred from the Library
Accession Number
1978.671.5(25.2)
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This charming gouache design from 1840 offers a glimpse into the world of 19th-century Alsatian textile production. Created by an anonymous artist from the Als region of France, the tiny square sheet—measuring just 2 /16 inches on each side—presents a carefully balanced pattern of alternating vertical and horizontal rows of pearls. These are set against a rhythmic background of horizontal garlands formed by stylized, abstract bushes, creating a lively yet orderly surface ideal for fabric printing or weaving. Gouache, with its opaque and luminous qualities, was a favored medium for such orname...