“Step into a charming 19th-century fantasy with this fabric, where playful cherubs enjoy a "Love Bath" amidst classical grandeur. It's a delightful peek into the decorative arts of the era, showcasing intricate copperplate printing.”
This furnishing fabric, titled "Le Bain d'Amour" or "Love Bath," transports us to a whimsical scene where cherubs frolic amidst classical architecture and lush gardens. The design, printed in a single color, likely a deep indigo or sepia, suggests the elegance of Neoclassical taste, popular in the early 19th century. We see a central fountain, its water cascading into a basin where several putti (childlike figures) splash and play. Surrounding them are grand columns, draped fabrics, and abundant foliage, creating an idyllic setting that blends mythological themes with a sense of playful innocence. The intricate details, from the delicate ruffles on the cherubs' wings to the texture of the leaves, are a testament to the copperplate printing technique used, which allowed for fine lines and subtle shading on cotton.
- Artist
- Favre-Petitpierre et cie
- Date
- 1820
- Medium
- Cotton, copperplate printed
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 119.4 × 66 cm (47 × 26 in.)
- Collection
- Textiles
- Culture
- Nantes
- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer, II
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Look for the cherub playfully splashing water from the fountain's basin.
Notice the classical columns and draped fabric framing the central scene.
Spot the tiny birds perched among the leaves in the upper corners.
Observe the intricate patterns on the cherubs' wings and the water's ripples.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Le Bain d'Amour (Love Bath) (Furnishing Fabric) — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Favre-Petitpierre et cie
French textile firm that turned cotton yardage into narrative art, printing Homer and Napoleon onto your curtains.
Further Works by cie
"Venus à sa Toilette"
1770 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Battle between the Héros and the Superb"
1778 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"La Maison Brulante"
1780 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Le Port de Cherbourg"
1781 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Panurge dans l'île des lanternes"
1781 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Le Combat de la Motte-Picquet à la Martinique"
1783 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
La Foire du Caire (The Cairo Fair)
1785 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Tomb of Rousseau"
1785 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
More works to explore
Beyond cie: works from the same years.
Same era · 1800s–1830s
The Estuary Farm
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1831 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Rome, from the Vatican. Raffaelle, Accompanied by La Fornarina, Preparing his Pictures for the Decoration of the Loggia
J. M. W. Turner · 1820 · National Gallery
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Saturn Devouring His Son
Francisco Goya · 1820 · Museo del Prado
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Male Academy Figure: Half-Length, Side View
Eugène Delacroix · 1819 · Karen B. Cohen Collection
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Two Men Contemplating the Moon
Caspar David Friedrich · 1819 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Same era · 1800s–1830s
The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis
Jacques-Louis David · 1818 · J. Paul Getty Museum
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Amédée-David, the Comte de Pastoret
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres · 1823 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Conflagration of the Masonic Hall, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Samuel Jones · 1819 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Sketchbook: Souvenir of Naples
Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen · 1821 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1800s–1830s
The Captive Slave (Ira Aldridge)
John Philip Simpson · 1827 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Mr. James Mackie
Samuel Alcock & Company · 1830 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1800s–1830s
Miss Planner
John Smart of Ipswich · 1820 · Dulwich Picture Gallery
