Sheet with overall floral pattern on a dark background 1775 - 1875

This sheet of paper, covered in a dense floral pattern, was likely made anonymously as a sample for textile or wallpaper production. Its anonymous status speaks volumes about the industrial context in which it was created. The method of production would probably have involved woodblock printing or a similar technique of serial reproduction. Imagine the labour involved in carving the block, applying the dyes, and pressing the pattern repeatedly onto the paper. The dark background would have been especially labour-intensive. Consider the contrast between the natural subject matter, the flowers themselves, and the mechanised way in which they have been depicted. This design would have been destined for a life as a mass-produced commodity. This sheet reminds us that even seemingly decorative and innocuous objects are the product of labour, industrial processes, and a complex web of social and economic relations. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between art and craft, design and industry, inviting us to consider the artistry inherent in everyday objects.