A green handmade paper wall covering with a repeating arabesque pattern in a double column format. The pattern is formed of a dark cream classical robed figure, with long curly hair. possibly a Priestess of Venus, pouring libations from a pitcher in the left hand, and holding a crown of red flowers and a crown of green leaves in the right hand. The figure stands under an arched bower of red flowers supported by right facing flying doves and a conical wire structure with two crowns of red flowers suspended on a pair of crossed arrows. The figure is surrounded by two gold upside down conical structures, the one on the left has a pair of doves perched on top, the one on the right three large feathers or leaves on top. The figure stands on a red and gold lambrequin extending down to a basket of red flowers and is surrounded by gold scrolls with leaves, red and lemon floral swags, pearl beaded swags and large red and lemon floral bouquets.

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See more objects with the tag interior, domestic, home, Cupid, arabesques, symbols.

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Object Timeline

	We acquired this object.
-0001	We photographed this object.
2012	We photographed this object.
2014	This was an Object of the Day.
2024	You found it!

Sidewall (France)

This is a sidewall. It was made by Jean-Baptiste Réveillon. It is dated 1789. Its medium is block printed on handmade paper. It is a part of the Wallcoverings department.

This arabesque design was the first wallpaper acquired by the museum at Cooper Union. This was produced by the Réveillon factory, one of the premier wallpaper manufacturers in Paris known for their sophisticated designs and high quality standards. Arabesque wallpapers were composed of a variety of classical motifs including draped female figures, tripod urns, floral and pearl festoons, and scrolling foliage arranged symmetrically in vertical bands. These designs were inspired by the excavations at the recently discovered ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Réveillon’s arabesques consisted of three types: large panels of a single arabesque design, narrow arabesques used to frame the larger panels, and repeating arabesque patterns printed in either a single or double-column format, as seen here.

This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled How It All Began: The First Wallpaper Acquired by Cooper Union.

This object was donated by Mrs. Charles S. Fairchild. It is credited Gift of Mrs. Charles S. Fairchild.

Overdoor (France)
block-printed on handmade paper.
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt.
1931-45-76

Dado (France)
block-printed on handmade paper.
Gift of John Judkyn in memory of his mother, Florence Judkins.
1953-213-1-a,b

Sidewall (France)
block printed, hand painted, gilded on handmade paper.
Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.
1985-26-1

Our curators have highlighted 6 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:

Drawing, Wall Elevation of a Bedroom Alcove

Drawing, Wall Elevation of a Bedroom Alcove
pen and brown ink, brush and watercolor, white gouache, graphite on white....
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council.
1911-28-261

Pleated Fan (USA)
painted silk gauze leaf, carved and painted wood sticks.
1952-121-1

Dado (France)
block printed on handmade paper.
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt.
1931-45-77

Its dimensions are

H x W: 107 x 52.5 cm (42 1/8 x 20 11/16 in.)

Cite this object as

Sidewall (France); Made by Jean-Baptiste Réveillon (French, 1725–1811); block printed on handmade paper; H x W: 107 x 52.5 cm (42 1/8 x 20 11/16 in.); Gift of Mrs. Charles S. Fairchild; 1900-5-3

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2ANga/
Accession Number 1900-5-3
Object ID 18105927