Not currently on display at the V&A

Les Arums

Furnishing Fabric
1920 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Raoul Dufy first worked for the innovative designer Paul Poiret (1879-1944) as a painter and then as a designer, experimenting with textile printing. He took a particular interest in eighteenth century 'toiles de Jouy' and created his own block-printed versions. His example encouraged many other designers to take an interest in traditional crafts. Dufy also worked under contract to the important silk weaving and printing firm of Bianchini-Férier.

This design is characteristic of Dufy's economy of line and colour and is typical of the earlier less geometric phase of the Art Deco Style. 'Les Arums' was also block-printed on linen. It was usual to check design proofs by printing them onto paper rather than fabric and Dufy's dining room walls were covered with a paper printed with this design.

In 1933 Dufy stopped designing textiles and devoted himself to painting.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLes Arums
Materials and techniques
Woven silk damask
Brief description
Woven furnishing fabric panel, ca. 1931, French. Raoul Dufy for Bianchini Ferier. "Les Arums"
Physical description
Panel of silk furnishing fabric with a repeating yellow and white woven pattern of two arum lillies
Dimensions
  • Maximum length: 97cm
  • Maximum width: 69cm
Marks and inscriptions
Transliteration
Production
Attribution note: There is a piece of 'Les Arums' in the Textile Museum in Lyon, France: it is red on a blue ground and the complete width includes three lilies. Their inventory number is 30196. It was given to the Museum in 1923 by Bianchini-Ferier. They say it was woven in 1920. They call it 'satin lisere, un lat, damasse, soie'.
Subject depicted
Summary
Raoul Dufy first worked for the innovative designer Paul Poiret (1879-1944) as a painter and then as a designer, experimenting with textile printing. He took a particular interest in eighteenth century 'toiles de Jouy' and created his own block-printed versions. His example encouraged many other designers to take an interest in traditional crafts. Dufy also worked under contract to the important silk weaving and printing firm of Bianchini-Férier.

This design is characteristic of Dufy's economy of line and colour and is typical of the earlier less geometric phase of the Art Deco Style. 'Les Arums' was also block-printed on linen. It was usual to check design proofs by printing them onto paper rather than fabric and Dufy's dining room walls were covered with a paper printed with this design.

In 1933 Dufy stopped designing textiles and devoted himself to painting.
Collection
Accession number
T.3-1932

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
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