Venster met gordijnen 1832 - 1877

This print, “Venster met gordijnen,” was created anonymously and depicts a window with curtains. The inscription states, “Decor de Fenetres Louis XVI.” Referencing the reign of Louis XVI, this print embodies the opulence and excess that characterized the French aristocracy before the Revolution. Aristocratic identity was crafted through these highly constructed interiors. Consider how the material excess of the elite was used to create a sense of superiority and distance from the lower classes. The color palette, a subdued baby blue with accents of gold and pink, creates a sense of romanticism and artificiality. The vision through the window is of an ordered, cultivated nature. How might the identity of the anonymous artist, likely a craftsman or designer, be tied to the creation of such images, and to what extent does this image celebrate or critique the established order? What does it feel like to be invited to gaze upon this domestic scene?