L'ete (Summer) (Furnishing Fabric)
c. 1820
Medium
Cotton, plain weave; resist printed
Dimensions
30.5 × 55.4 cm (12 × 21 3/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
24237
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of early 19th-century home decor with *L'ete (Summer)*, a charming furnishing fabric from around 1820 now housed in the Art Institute Chicago's Textiles Department. This modest panel, measuring 30.5 × 55.4 cm, captures the essence of summer through its resist-printed designs on cotton plain weave—a practical choice for curtains, upholstery, or table linens in fashionable European households. The resist-printing technique is a highlight here: artisans applied a wax or paste resist to block dye in specific areas, allowing for crisp, multi-colored patterns that resist...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...