"Music" 1680 - 1702

Curator: This extraordinary textile artwork is "Music," crafted sometime between 1680 and 1702 by the Savonnerie Manufactory. Currently gracing the walls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it exemplifies the Baroque style. Editor: My first thought? Opulence. Look at that intense detail! It’s almost dizzying, this dance of color and form. But mostly…it feels like a silent symphony, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely, "Music" feels apt as a title. The intricate weaving suggests a harmony of design elements typical of the decorative arts flourishing at that time in France. I’m fascinated by the way the flowers and fruit mingle with the abstract swirls. Editor: I'm interested in the way music has been historically, and sometimes still is, coded with gender and power. Considering that the piece probably adorned some aristocratic hall, the idealized pastoral scenes within become complicated. What stories were considered worthy of being woven into these textiles? Curator: That's a key point—this was an artwork seen but possibly not truly *seen*, its power in its mere presence and implicit cultural signaling. It whispers tales of royal patronage and artistic expertise... and perhaps the erasure of those who made it possible. When I see the geometric precision interwoven with more natural, free-flowing forms, I can almost feel the artisans balancing control and imagination. Editor: I also consider how such objects often serve to reinforce societal hierarchies. We need to challenge ourselves and consider how textiles, especially decorative ones like this, perpetuate certain aesthetics while marginalizing others. Are we glorifying a symbol of inequality simply because it's deemed aesthetically "beautiful?" Curator: It makes me wonder, what kind of "music" would have filled the rooms where this piece hung? Stately court dances? Perhaps more radical harmonies bubbling up from other quarters? Editor: This deep dive into its symbolism highlights the inherent power dynamics in display and aesthetic valuation. Curator: Looking closer at this complex textile reminds us art never exists in a vacuum; it sings (or whispers!) of cultural forces. Editor: Indeed! Hopefully it prompts reflections that extend far beyond just the visual.