Spice Garden, 1954-1963
Linen; screenprint; dyedexpand_more
Gift of Cowtan & Tout, Inc.expand_more 99.1.775.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Tremendous changes occurred in the textile industry in the 1930s and 1940s and flowers were relegated to the category of 'traditional' furnishings. Although floral imagery began its comeback in the 1950s, it still faced serious competition from the ever-increasing emphasis on abstraction and the post-war preference for weaves rather than printed fabrics.
An eminent design historian has described the new motifs associated with the 1950s as mobiles, doodles and spasms. With its naive renderings of flowers, butterflies and birds, Spice Garden could be classified as a doodle. It was the first print fabric offered by Jack Lenor Larsen, who had originally established his business on his reputation as a weaver. Spice Garden was enormously popular and remained in production for over thirty years, reinterpreted on various ground cloths and in different colorways. In 1981 Larsen introduced a velvet version which was the last use of the pattern.
Details
- Title
- Spice Garden
- Artist Life
- New York, est. 1952
- Role
- Designer
- Accession Number
- 99.1.775.2
- Curator Approved
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