Mise-en-carte (Point-paper) 1764

L. Galy Gallien et Compe made this 'Mise-en-carte (Point-paper)' sometime in the late 18th century. It’s a design for woven fabric. The grid is a guide for transferring the design to a loom. France at this time was the center of luxury textile production. The industry was closely managed by guilds and royal authorities, like the Gobelins tapestry manufactory. Designs were subject to strict regulations intended to maintain high standards of quality and artistry. This drawing exemplifies the kind of detailed planning involved in creating elaborate textiles for wealthy consumers. Floral patterns like this were extremely popular for clothing, upholstery and wall hangings, reflecting a broader interest in the natural world during the Enlightenment. To understand the textile industry, historians consult pattern books, inventories, and business records. These sources reveal the complex social and economic networks that sustained the production of luxury goods. The history of art is tied up with this larger fabric of social and institutional life.