The art of a society says almost as much about it as its history does. Works produced by a culture reflect the society's trends and are often times a direct reaction to some of its most important historical events.
Illustrating this fact, "'And so to Bed': Indian Bed Curtains from a Stately English Home," at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, until June 21, showcases part of the museum's extraordinary textile and furniture collection in the Loring Gallery. The works, which include intricate bed curtains, chests, screens and other household items, are emblematic of the complex interaction between European and Asian societies in the late 17th and early 18th centuries and demonstrate extraordinary craftsmanship.
As the exhibit's title suggests, it features bed curtains and furniture from a large English home, more specifically that of the Ashburnham family, who through several marriages worked their way up the social ladder into the upper strata of English society. The Ashburnham family became one of considerable wealth and influence and decorated its homes accordingly.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, as England's interactions with India were ever increasing, the upper class began to develop a penchant for interior decoration influenced by Indian and other Asian styles of art. Perhaps in reaction to the unprecedented scope of cultural exchange that was occurring, wealthy families, including the Ashburnhams, liked to surround themselves with pieces of this new, exotic style. This new interest led to the development of Chinoiserie, a European style of art that, according to the wall label in the exhibit "blended elements of Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Persian art to create a unique vision of the exotic Orient."
"And so to Bed" mainly consists of pieces from the Chinoiserie style which are interesting, not only because of their intricacy, but also because of their interpretation and combination of varying styles of Asian art. The pieces demonstrate Europe's fascination with these cultures that would continue for centuries to come.
One such piece, "Wide curtain" (approx. 1700), part of an elaborate bed drapery, is hung at the entrance to the exhibition and is a perfect demonstration of this Euro-Asian style. The pattern's vibrant red flowers and exotic birds clearly pull from Asian styles of art, but, because the design was applied to the Indian fabric in England, it also pulls on European aesthetic ideals to create a unique mix of cultures that manifested itself in the homes of the wealthy, and indeed, the pages of history books for many centuries.
Another piece of interest, "Lacquer cabinet and stand" (1680-90) combines a decidedly European base with a cabinet that, according to the wall text, "has been 'orientalized' by the application of lacquer panels from a Chinese screen." This is perhaps the most interesting piece in the exhibit because of the way it seamlessly fuses artistic styles from two cultures. The piece is also curious because the smooth combination of artistic style has almost nothing to do with the way the cultures would interact in the years to come.
The rest of the exhibit consists primarily of textiles of both English and Indian origin and several other household items that would have been used by families such as the Ashburnhams during this time. The show is not particularly dramatic, nor does it evoke strong emotions, but it is fascinating because of the way it demonstrates the interaction between European and Asian cultures that would continue to define history for centuries to come.
