This exquisite textile originates from France, produced circa 1887, and serves as a scholarly example of the sophisticated "Orientalist" and Chinoiserie aesthetics that dominated European high-fashion and interior design in the late 19th century. Measuring 30 inches by 20.5 inches (76 cm x 52 cm), the piece is an original roller-printed sample crafted from a delicate voile (lightweight cotton). Manufactured by the esteemed Scheurer company in Mulhouse, Alsace, this sample was acquired at auction in Paris and remarkably retains its original archival label specifying the design and fabric content. Because it was protected from environmental degradation within a sample book for over a century, the pigments remain exceptionally vibrant, though the piece features one original selvedge and three cut edges from its removal for archival sale.
The visual narrative is a densely packed, fantastical composition set against a deep bottle green backdrop. The design features an array of exotic botanical and architectural motifs, including stylized floral vases, intricate pavilions, and whimsical "pineapple" or "pomegranate" shapes rendered in a vivid palette of pink, red, blue, and yellow. These motifs are interconnected by delicate, serrated sage-green foliage and swirling geometric patterns that mimic the fine line-work of copperplate engraving. The technical precision of the Scheurer printing process is evident in the sophisticated layering of jewel-toned hues, creating a three-dimensional, narrative effect that captures the Victorian era's fascination with reimagining "Eastern" imagery through a refined European lens.