Sheet with stripe and grid pattern 1800 - 1900

This patterned sheet, of unknown date and maker, is constructed of paper with a grid pattern of hand-drawn stripes and crosses. The material itself - paper - immediately tells us something. It is fragile, and meant to be used, and then discarded. The pattern on the sheet is quite regular, and the application of colors and lines shows a repetitive process of handcraft. The anonymous maker likely used simple tools, and may have been producing this design in multiples, perhaps as a pattern for textiles, wallpapers, or other decorative surfaces. The pattern is a simple, yet effective combination of stripes and crosses, carefully drawn to create an overall sense of harmony. We may see in it, the labor of the maker, patiently repeating the same marks over and over again, in a society where such a design would be a marketable commodity. Looking at this sheet, we realize that materials, making and context are crucial to understanding the full meaning of an artwork, and its place between fine art and craft.