“Les Arts” Furnishing Fabric - Hippolyte Lebas

“Les Arts” Furnishing Fabric - Hippolyte Lebas
Elizabeth M. Schultz Endowment Fund
"“Les Arts” Furnishing Fabric" by Hippolyte Lebas (c. 1816) Cotton; roller printed.

Commentary

Commentary

"“Les Arts” Furnishing Fabric" by Hippolyte Lebas (c. 1816) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expressive work. Themes to notice include Neoclassicism, printed textile. This piece is held in the source collection's Textiles collection. Hippolyte Lebas is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Designed by Hippolyte Lebas (French, 1782–1867). The work is cataloged within a France cultural context. It is associated with the Neoclassicism period. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as printed textile, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Cotton; roller printed) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (258.4 × 215.3 cm (101 3/4 × 84 3/4 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include Neoclassicism, printed textile. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/256790