Jean Lurçat (1892–1966) believed tapestry was monumental art and should be experienced like a fresco. While well known for his paintings in the US in the 1920s, from the 1930s he dealt intensively with the form of picture carpets alongside his practice in engraving, poetry and ceramics. In the years after the Second World War, Lurçat made a major contribution to the dying art of tapestry at a point when many large-scale, expensive European tapestry workshops had little economic viability and were losing money.1 From his base among the centuries-old workshops of Aubusson, France, he introduced contemporary designs to tapestry, working directly on a full-scale cartoon (the name given to preparatory drawings in this medium) to lessen the number of steps from conception to completion. He simplified This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Five Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 49 Behind the Scenes Aoife McMahon on the art of the audiobook. Arts & Culture Issue 48 Peer Review Artist William Cobbing on painter, publisher—and family friend—Franciszka Themerson. Arts & Culture Issue 47 Peer Review Hadani Ditmars on the disappearing legacy of Rifat Chadirji, Iraq’s most influential architect. Arts & Culture Issue 46 Peer Review Upcycle designer Laurs Kemp on the influence of mid-century salvage artist Louise Nevelson. Arts & Culture Issue 44 Peer Review: Minnette de Silva Shiromi Pinto introduces Minnette De Silva, the Sri Lankan modernist who inspired her novel. Arts & Culture Issue 43 Peer Review: Edward Krasinski Curator Kasia Redzisz on the surreal wit of the avant-garde artist.
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Arts & Culture Issue 44 Peer Review: Minnette de Silva Shiromi Pinto introduces Minnette De Silva, the Sri Lankan modernist who inspired her novel.
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