Design for Gothic Curtains and Curtain Rod 1841 - 1884

Editor: Here we have "Design for Gothic Curtains and Curtain Rod" created between 1841 and 1884, attributed to Charles Hindley and Sons. It's a drawing, mostly pencil on paper, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The detail is incredible, and it gives off such an opulent, almost theatrical vibe. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Well, beyond the aesthetic impression, I am immediately drawn to the labor involved. Think about the craftspeople who would have been involved in realizing this design. The draughtsman, of course, but also the weavers, the dyers, the woodworkers crafting the rod and decorative elements. Were they fairly compensated? What were their working conditions? Editor: That's a completely different angle than what I was considering. So, you’re looking past the intended elegance to the socio-economic implications of creating such a luxurious item? Curator: Precisely. We see the design, but what about the means of production? The pencil lines on this paper represent a chain of human activity, extracting resources and transforming them, often unequally. Consider how the consumption of these elaborate curtains may have reinforced social hierarchies, highlighting disparities between those who could afford such luxury and those who could not. What sort of power dynamics does that reinforce? Editor: So you see this drawing not just as a design for curtains but as a document reflecting the era's material culture and labor practices? Curator: Absolutely. This piece reminds us to question what isn’t immediately visible. By exploring these questions, we begin to unravel the complex relationship between art, labor, and consumption. Editor: I will certainly never look at fancy curtains the same way. I learned a lot. Curator: And I believe questioning our roles in production of this historical narrative offers us new ways to explore materiality today.