Sheet with overall zigzag pattern 1800 - 1900

This anonymous design from the 19th century is a study in the repetition of patterns. The geometric composition features a repeating motif of blue zigzag lines and red dashes against a white background. The simple design, created with ink and gouache, is characteristic of a design for fabric, and may have been created to be incorporated into a textile. The work is currently part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.