Piece 1770 - 1780

This textile piece by Bromley Hall uses block printing with mordant dye on cotton. The toile, with its monochromatic scenes of leisure and labor, offers a glimpse into the pastoral fantasies of the elite. But it's a fantasy built on the backs of laborers and, more insidiously, on the cotton trade that fueled both the Industrial Revolution and the transatlantic slave trade. These idyllic scenes exist because of a global system of exploitation. What does it mean to enjoy the beauty of this textile, knowing it is steeped in a complex history of social and economic inequalities? Think about the hands that cultivated the cotton, the bodies that were bought and sold, and the lives that were forever changed by this seemingly innocent fabric. This piece serves as a stark reminder of the inextricable link between beauty, labor, and social justice.