This is Fragonard’s ‘The Joy’s of Motherhood.” Yeah, I don’t think he spent a lot of time around women with young children. Of course, looking at the painting, it doesn’t really look like he spent a lot of time outside either. Those are some impressively fantastical and chinoiseried trees!
Mrs C has given me a very interesting textile on long term loan, and I thought it would be the perfect ‘Textiles on Thursday’ feature. The textile is an embroidered silk coat with a rabbit fur lining. The coat is fascinating for all sorts of reasons. It’s an excellent example of an export textile, made in Asia (probably China, possibly Japan) for the Western market. As an export textile, it’s particularly interesting because it isn’t a particularly luxurious item. Chinese design features aside, the coat is a great piece of early 1920s fashion. Finally, it’s an exciting vintage item because it isn’t that small, it easily fits a modern 14-16. Poor Isabelle is a little swamped in it! So, let’s break it down. First, what’s this export textile thing? Well, the West has had a love affair with Eastern goods and aesthetics for centuries. Just look at Chinoiserie in the 18th century and Japonism in the 19th century, as well as the trade in kashmir shawls in both. The newest trends in Eastern imports always …
