Sheet with overall pattern of flowers and ovals 1800 - 1900

This anonymous 19th-century design for a printed textile features a repeating pattern of stylized flowers and ovals, rendered in red and gray ink on a cream-colored paper. The simple yet elegant design suggests the possibility of a fabric intended for domestic use, perhaps for upholstery or curtains. The incomplete state of the sheet, with its torn edge, adds an element of intrigue and highlights the ephemeral nature of design. The artwork is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.