Blad met schaakbordpatroon 1780 - 1808

This chessboard pattern was printed by Pierre-Fiacre Perdoux in France, using the color blue. It looks like a simple design, but consider what it takes to achieve this effect. The pattern repeats precisely, over and over, suggesting the use of a printing block. Notice that each blue square has a white dot at its center. This implies that the blue ink was applied with absolute accuracy, allowing those dots to remain untouched. Given the scale of this pattern, that would have been difficult to accomplish! Blue printing was particularly associated with textiles, and it was an incredibly labor-intensive operation. Remember that this pattern is not just an abstract design. It’s a document of skilled work. It pushes us to think about the conditions under which it was created. When we consider the making of the print, we begin to appreciate the distance between this artwork and the realm of fine art. Rather, this textile relates to the broader culture of making.