Printed Textile c. 1941

This printed textile was designed by Ernest Capaldo, probably sometime in the mid-twentieth century. The red ground is just so cheerful. It reminds me of my studio when I’m working on a large canvas, moving in and out of chaos and order. I can imagine Capaldo carefully planning this all-over composition, but I bet there were also moments of improvisation. He might have stepped back, squinted, and then dove back in with a new idea for a floral motif, or another twisting vine. Did he sketch the design on paper first, or work directly onto the fabric? The little horse in the corner is interesting, too. It feels like a found image, or a stamp. It's an echo of something much older. What conversation was Capaldo having with design history? How did it spark his own creativity, and how did his creativity add something new to that conversation?