Toile
de Jouy
If
you’ve ever visited a Colonial America site such as Williamsburg, you’ve seen
toile. Originally known as Toile de Jouy, toile is a small decorative repeat pattern
of a complex scene, usually printed in one color on a white or cream background.
Traditional designs depicted mythological or pastoral themes such as landscapes
with animals, picnicking couples, or floral arrangements. However, toile just
as often depicted more modern events such as hot air balloon voyages.
Toile
was originally produced in Ireland in the mid-18th century but
quickly became popular in England and France. Toile
de Jouy translates to “cloth from Jouy”, a small village southwest of Paris
where Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf established a factory for printed cotton in
1760. It became a decorating staple, used in both fabric and wallpaper and was
introduced into the American colonies by Benjamin Franklin, who in 1770, while
in England, bought a bolt to bring back to Philadelphia as a gift for his wife.
Ever
since, toile has come in and out of fashion. The style saw an upsurge in
popularity in the 1930’s with the popularity of Colonial Williamsburg and in
the 1970’s during Bicentennial celebrations. Toile once again grew in
popularity at the beginning of the 21st century.
Lately
designers have rediscovered and reinvented toile once again, using colored
backgrounds and creating more modern images, often with tongue planted firmly
in cheek. For instance, at flavorpaper.com you can find a design inspired by SanFrancisco Bay area legends such as Joe Montana and Angela Davis. Another modern toile design is a Brooklyn inspired pattern that depicts
everything from Coney Island to pigeons to Notorious B.I.G.
Toile
has been around for hundreds of years, and it appears it will continue to go in
and out of style for years to come.
2 comments:
Lovely...and, thanks for the history lesson (smile!).
Thanks for stopping by, Angela. Glad you enjoyed the post.
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