Venster met gordijnen c. 1895 - 1910

Léon Laroche rendered this window with curtains as a lithograph, demonstrating the artistry embedded in commercial printmaking. The image showcases an Art Nouveau window treatment, with a focus on textiles. The rendering captures the texture of lace, the drape of the curtain, and the intricate details of the embroidery. These are not just visual elements, but indicators of a highly skilled labor and the social values attached to handmade goods in a rapidly industrializing world. Lithography itself is a fascinating process, involving the transfer of an image from a stone or metal plate to paper. In this case, it’s used not to create a unique work of art, but to disseminate a design, likely for a middle-class client to imitate. Looking closely, we can appreciate the intersection of art, industry, and domestic life. Laroche’s lithograph invites us to consider the labor involved in producing and maintaining the materials of domestic comfort. It blurs the lines between art and design, production and consumption, craftsmanship and industry.