Apple-blossom textile 1883 - 1900

This is a fragment of "Apple-Blossom" textile, woven by the Associated Artists, a group that flourished in the late nineteenth century. It is made of silk and cotton. The process of weaving involves interlacing threads on a loom to create a fabric. Here, we see a pattern of vertical stripes, some solid, some decorated with delicate apple blossoms. The very regularity of the weaving speaks to industrial production; this was not a hand-woven textile. Consider the social context of the time. Mass production of textiles transformed how people adorned their homes. "Apple-Blossom" suggests a desire to bring nature indoors through design, a kind of poetic industrialism. The amount of work involved in designing, producing, and distributing such a textile would have been considerable, involving many hands and complex systems of labor. By focusing on the materials, making, and context of "Apple-Blossom," we can appreciate the artistry and cultural significance embedded in this beautiful piece of design.