Figure Originali (Original Figures) 1788

Carlo Labruzzi created this book of etchings, "Figure Originali", using paper and ink. It is covered with a patterned wallpaper. The floral design, rendered in red ink, repeats across the surface with slight variations, suggesting a labor-intensive hand-printing process, akin to block printing on textiles. These floral motifs, reminiscent of both classical ornamentation and contemporary fabric designs, reflect the convergence of art and craft in the late 18th century. The wallpaper pattern is likely not Labruzzi's own design, pointing to a broader commercial context in which artists drew inspiration from everyday surroundings. In its time, wallpaper was emerging as a popular, relatively inexpensive mode of interior decoration, and its production involved a hierarchy of labor, from designers to printmakers to installers. The book's binding, adorned with this decorative paper, invites us to consider the social and economic implications of ornament. It blurs the boundaries between fine art, decoration, and the world of commerce, reminding us that art is always embedded in a matrix of material production and cultural exchange.