Curtain
1889/90
Medium
Linen and cotton, strips of: plain weave; plain weave with bands of weft floats; plain weave and alternating weft-float weave; plain weave, open work with crossed wefts; and plain weave, open work with knotted weft wrapping; joined with cotton, crochet and crocheted borders
Dimensions
86.5 × 89 cm (34 × 35 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
80405
Art Historical Context
Step into the intimate world of late 19th-century domestic artistry with *Curtain* (1889/90) by Elise Grill, a masterful textile now housed in the Art Institute Chicago's Textiles Department. Measuring 86.5 × 89 cm (34 × 35 in.), this functional yet exquisite piece was crafted from linen and cotton strips, transforming everyday materials into a delicate screen or room divider. Its modest scale suggests it graced a home interior, blending utility with ornamental charm during an era when handmade textiles offered a personal touch amid growing industrialization. Grill's ingenuity shines in the d...