Artwork
Cartoon for the Back of a Tapestry Settee
Cartoon for the Back of a Tapestry Settee is an oil painting. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
This image shows a cartoon for the back of a tapestry settee. It features a garland of flowers and leaves, with a central oval design. The cartoon is rendered in oil paint and has a floral visual genre.
The cartoon is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was created by an unknown artist in the early 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The cartoon, produced in 1800 by an anonymous French painter, serves as a design for the rear panel of a tapestry settee.
The cartoon, produced in 1800 by an anonymous French painter, serves as a design for the rear panel of a tapestry settee. It portrays a decorative garland of stylized flowers rendered in oil on canvas, a motif that evokes the ornamental vocabulary of French interior decoration of the period. The presence of the garland functions as a symbolic element of refinement and domestic elegance, reflecting contemporary tastes for lush, naturalistic decoration.
The work measures 67.9 cm in height by 174 cm in width and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1800, this work is an oil painting on canvas created by an anonymous French artist. The composition functions as a cartoon, serving as a full-scale design model for the back of a tapestry settee. Visually, the piece features a decorative garland of flowers, a motif intended to be translated into woven textile.
The support measures 67.9 cm in height and 174 cm in width, reflecting the elongated proportions required for furniture upholstery. As a preparatory model, the handling of the oil medium prioritizes the clear delineation of forms necessary for weavers to interpret the design.
History & Provenance
Created in 1800, the work is an oil painting on canvas attributed to an anonymous French artist. It was produced as a cartoon intended for the back of a tapestry settee, depicting floral garlands. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
No further details regarding the specific commission, original patron, or the chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum are provided in the available records.
The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is identified as an oil painting on canvas created in 1800 by an anonymous French artist. The piece depicts garlands and flowers and measures 67.9 cm in height by 174 cm in width.
The provided sources do not record a specific inventory or accession number for this object, nor do they list any past or future exhibition history. Consequently, no exhibition dates or venue names can be included in this section based on the available documentation.
Overview
This oil painting, titled "Cartoon for the Back of a Tapestry Settee," served as a preparatory design for a textile piece. It depicts an elaborate floral arrangement, intended to be translated into a woven tapestry for furniture. The work is characterized by its decorative nature, featuring a prominent garland and a central oval motif.
Currently, it is held within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a functional aspect of early 19th-century decorative arts.
Artist & collection
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