Panel 1825 - 1875

Editor: So, here we have a "Panel" made sometime between 1825 and 1875 by the Cocheco Manufacturing Company. It seems to be a textile work, perhaps a weaving or mixed-media piece, currently residing at The Art Institute of Chicago. It immediately strikes me as a complex pattern... very busy! What are your initial thoughts on this textile, what symbols stand out to you? Curator: It's indeed visually active. Immediately, I'm drawn to the paisley motifs. These designs, originating in Persia and finding their way to Europe and America, often symbolized fertility and abundance. But it's interesting to see how their meaning shifted as they were absorbed into different cultural contexts. Are you noticing anything else unusual in the pattern? Editor: Well, some of the geometric shapes feel almost… modern? And, dare I say, some squares have symbols on them reminiscent of swastikas. Am I just being overly sensitive? Curator: Not at all. You're seeing visual echoes, what Jung might call archetypal images rising to the surface. Keep in mind that before its appropriation by the Nazi party, that symbol, the swastika, carried positive connotations across various cultures - luck, well-being, continuity. To find it here prompts a critical examination of symbols and how their meaning is never fixed. Instead they are evolving, contingent on cultural memory. This textile presents an opportunity to contemplate layers of meaning, and how cultural symbols morph over time. Editor: Wow, I hadn't considered how fluid those symbols can be. It really adds another layer to the work, making it feel almost unsettling despite its decorative purpose. I initially perceived just the 'busy-ness,' but there's much more going on! Curator: Precisely! By unpacking the layers of symbolism embedded within the repeating motifs, we can appreciate how deeply interwoven textiles like this are with threads of cultural memory and transformation. Editor: Definitely. Thanks for pointing out those symbolic aspects – it's given me a lot to think about!