From the exhibition
Design for a Woven Fabric
· circa 1850

This geometric textile design demonstrates the systematic patterning principles of nineteenth-century industrial fabric production. The composition employs a repeating diamond lattice structure with alternating triangular units rendered in blue, orange, cream, and brown—a palette suited to commercial dye processes of the period. The rotational symmetry and mathematical precision indicate preparation for mechanical loom production, where pattern repeat was essential for large-scale manufacturing. Such designs bridged ornamental tradition and industrial efficiency, serving as blueprints for the mechanized textile mills that defined the era's commercial output.
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