Fragment van veelkleurige bedrukte zijden stof met een lijnen art deco patroon c. 1910 - 1930

Curator: This piece is called "Fragment of Multicolored Printed Silk Fabric with a Linear Art Deco Pattern," made between 1910 and 1930, and it resides here at the Rijksmuseum. It comes to us from the Wiener Werkstätte, a fascinating collective. Editor: Whoa, instantly getting a sophisticated-flapper-meets-futuristic-city vibe! It's like geometric hieroglyphs on a moody, twilight canvas. Is it me, or does it look like it was torn from something bigger, a grander design? Curator: Exactly! The fragment gives it an added layer of mystery. These sorts of textiles spoke volumes during the Art Deco era. We’re talking about the rise of machine-age aesthetics blended with handcrafted luxury, really encapsulating the period’s ambitions. The Wiener Werkstätte sought a unification of art and life, producing everything from furniture to fashion. This fragment exemplifies that desire, taking geometric abstraction and making it wearable. Editor: I dig that intersection—blurring boundaries, high and low, art and utility. It feels rebellious, a statement against fussy Victorian aesthetics, right? Curator: Precisely! The visual language is doing so much work here. The stepped motifs, the bold lines…Art Deco rejected naturalistic forms in favor of streamlined stylization. These motifs evoke skyscraper silhouettes and urban dynamism, so relevant for an era intoxicated by progress. But what about the material itself? Editor: It has such a lovely, subdued quality. It's not flashy. There is something about that specific navy tone which I like as well as that subdued ochre color that makes me feel like I am in a silent movie. Curator: The color palette is certainly subdued, especially when so many associate Art Deco with bold contrasts. Here, though, the richness comes from the silk's texture. Even muted shades can offer a certain glamour, right? Editor: Definitely! It gives it staying power, you know? And you said it right—it almost makes one feel something for something, what is otherwise simply ornamental! Curator: So it carries deeper meanings, beyond just surface aesthetics. What a beautiful summary! Editor: To conclude, next time I will see patterns and designs like this one, it will probably transport me back here. Thank you for opening my mind to this connection!