Length 1902 - 1905

John Scott Bradstreet created this textile, titled Length, with an intriguing dance of ochre, beige, and russet hues. I'm imagining him, almost like a conductor, guiding these colors across the surface. It's a flat space, and the image is built up by weaving and layering. This makes me think of what it was like for Bradstreet to work on this, constructing the artwork bit by bit, weaving patterns, and adding texture. The lotus flower motifs are really doing it for me. There’s an ongoing conversation here with the Arts and Crafts movement. We see a lot of nature, but the way he renders it, with the surface and the weave, really flattens it out. He's having a dialogue with the material. It's not just about the image, but how the image is constructed through the properties of textiles. Ultimately, this textile becomes a site where Bradstreet explored what a painting can be.