Textile Design with Vertical Strips of Quatrefoils of Pearls Over an Abstract Background that Simulates Tie-Dye 1840

This anonymous textile design from 1840, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, features an abstract background reminiscent of tie-dye techniques. The background is comprised of swirling, concentric circles rendered in a stippled pattern of brown and red hues. Superimposed over this are vertical bands of quatrefoils composed of white pearls against a black outline, adding a geometric counterpoint to the fluid background. The small scale of the design suggests it was intended for a delicate fabric, possibly for clothing or upholstery.