Textile

This object is from a collection of sample embroideries, which was originally owned by Morris de Camp Crawford, editor of Women's Wear Daily, who collected objects which told the story of fashion and fabric history. Included in this collection was a group of textiles which illustrated what American and French designers and manufacturers were using. According to Crawford's book The Ways of Fashion, the work of Polish artist Sarah Lipska (1882-1973) was represented in this collection. Lipska is an enigmatic figure, who is known to have worked with Leon Bakst as a set and costume designer for the Ballets Russes, and later in the 1920s as a fashion designer in Paris at 4 rue Belloni, and finally as a sculptor. Extant examples of her work are rare. Although only a few pieces in the Brooklyn Museum collection bear a label or a signature, others bear hallmarks of her work, such as a distinctive form of whip stitching on appliqué work, unusual abstract motifs, and Cubist-inspired patterns.

The sumptuous color and sheen of this sample is visually stunning. The two panels would most likely have been used in pairs on the front and back of a dress. One set of panels is distinctly Asian-inspired in design, with the flaming leaves and cloud scrolls, while the other evokes a Gothic aesthetic, mainly because of the ogival arch shape commonly seen in Gothic architecture. The floral motifs within the arch, however, are Art Deco-inspired. The combination of motifs is indicative of the variety of inspiration available to designers.