Le Triomphe de l'Hyménée (Furnishing Fabric)
c. 1795
Medium
Cotton, plain weave; copperplate and block printed
Dimensions
208 × 155 cm (82 × 61 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79857
Art Historical Context
"Le Triomphe de l'Hyménée" (The Triumph of Hymen), a magnificent furnishing fabric produced by the French firm Favre-Petitierre et Cie. around 1795, captures the exuberant spirit of late 18th-century decorative arts. Printed on cotton plain weave using both copperplate and block techniques, this 208 × 155 cm panel was designed for elegant interiors like curtains or upholstery, transforming everyday spaces into scenes of mythological grandeur. Hymen, the classical god of marriage, likely takes center stage in a triumphant procession, reflecting neoclassical tastes amid the French Revolution's a...