What do our prints Ondulé and Étincelle have in common with the Eiffel Tower? Both of their creators were showcased in the Exposition Universelle (aka World’s Fair) of 1889, which celebrates its 135th anniversary this month. Among the 60,000 exhibitors who participated in that epic event was Bianchini-Ferier, an upstart silk firm from Lyon, from whose archives these designs are based.
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The Paris Exposition’s most famous exhibit was the Eiffel Tower, the then-tallest structure in the world. It gave the awestruck visiting public an ascent into the sky & an unprecented view over Paris. The fair was a hybrid of interactive museum and amusement park, meant both to entertain & to showcase the cultural & technological achievements of 35 nations, along with tens of thousands of private businesses. It launched the career of Bianchini-Ferier, which became the longest continuously-operating silk mill in Europe. |
Despite its modern appearance – the original document of this design dates from the 1910s. Because Bianchini-Ferier specialized in jacquard weaves, the design was likely used as a monochrome jacquard, rather than a 2-color print.
Ondulé is French for “wavy”. Its wandering linework is a hallmark of the Art Nouveau movement, which imitated natural forms. Nouveau architect Hector Guimard, creator of the iconic Paris Metro, explained his love of curves: “Nature is the greatest builder, and nature makes nothing that is parallel, and nothing that is symmetrical.”
Étincelle is French for spark. It describes the organic, bursting, firecracker movement evoked in this pattern. The rounded, boomerang-like motifs in this design would become popular in the “atomic age” to follow.
Like Ondulé, this design was inspired by an ink-on-tissue artwork from Bianchini-Ferier’s archives. It was likely used for a monochrome jacquard or brocade design, rather than a 2-color print.
Want more 1889 history, nerd?
- Take in that glorious view from the top of the Eiffel Tower in this virtual tour.
- Rock out to French musical hits from the 1880’s with this playlist.
- Read a review of the Exposition from the New York Times in this article. I was amused to read that furniture makers in the fair were worried about dupes way back then! Some things never change.