Sheet with overall pattern of leaves, vines, and dots 1800 - 1900

Editor: This is an anonymous mixed-media drawing on paper from sometime between 1800 and 1900, titled "Sheet with overall pattern of leaves, vines, and dots." It has an intriguing botanical feel and reminds me of textile design. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: The pattern immediately speaks to me about the context of its production. Who was designing textiles then? Consider that patterns like these, seemingly innocent, could have adorned fabrics used during periods of intense colonial expansion. It makes me wonder about the labor practices involved in both creating and consuming such patterns, doesn’t it? Editor: That's a powerful association. So you are thinking about where the materials were sourced and who made the design in the first place? Curator: Exactly! And whose aesthetic sensibilities are prioritized. Look at the style of leaves. Are these European foliage, or are these references to Asian or African botanical imagery filtered through a Western lens? We have to ask ourselves about the power dynamics at play when this pattern was conceived. How are cultural influences represented here? Editor: I never would have considered all those implications by just looking at the pattern at face value. It’s really a product of its time! Curator: Precisely! By engaging with this work, we become more attuned to those visual power dynamics and challenge dominant narratives. What appears ornamental is rife with meaning! Editor: I’m definitely going to examine other textiles and surface designs through this lens going forward! Thank you for offering this perspective.