[Woven silk furnishing fabric by Rodier, French, 1920s. V & A collection.]
The soft grey and white palette reflects a French sensibility, the mix of shine with matte threads seems to be on trend for the era, and according to the V & A, the chevron pattern shows a penchant for African-inspired graphics.
[Silk with metallic thread. Woven by Bianchini-Férier, Lyons, France. Collection of Philadelphia Museum of Art.]
At first glance, Raoul Dufy's printed satin La Chasse à l'arc feels quintessentially Parisian. The 1928, black and gold lamé design is a whimsical floral with creatures from Africa -- lions and elephants --incorporated among the densely packed blossoms. But, in a way, Dufy's preference for flattened, highly stylized interpretations of flowers shows how European artists of the day took cues from abstract African art.
Slightly random note: I read that Gatsby production designer Catherine Martin opted to use fanciful inflatable zebras in a party scene after finding similar play things in period photos.
7 comments:
I have seen the zebras in the pool party preview stills of The Great Gatsby. Growing up on a horse farm, I always thought a small herd would look so great grazing the pasture. But they are truly wild and the live ones seen on film are usually mules that have been made-up to appear as zebras.
Something to keep in mind the next time I'm watching a movie with a herd of running zebras!
Very cool post Courtney! Not many people discuss African influences on textile design. Love this, and I can't wait to see Gatsby!
Thanks Jeanine! I'm fascinated by the influence of Kuba cloth, strip-wovens, indigo etc.
There is always something to learn when viewing Style Court; thank you for sharing!
Thanks for reading, Seule! Always appreciate the kind comments.
Thanks for reading, Seule! Always appreciate the kind comments.
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