“This striking fabric, "Tracery," reinterprets Gothic architectural patterns with a bold, modern twist. Its vibrant blue and geometric design offer a fascinating glimpse into late 20th-century design's playful embrace of historical forms.”
Bold geometric patterns and a striking palette of black, white, and a vibrant azure blue define this fabric panel, designed by Michael Graves in 1981. The design, named "Tracery," evokes the intricate, branching stone patterns found in Gothic cathedral windows. Here, however, those historical forms are flattened and abstracted, transforming into a playful, almost architectural grid of interlocking shapes. The screen-printed cotton emphasizes the graphic quality of the design, making the lines crisp and the colors pop. This textile exemplifies a pivotal moment in design history, where designers were re-engaging with historical motifs but reinterpreting them through a modernist lens. It represents a move away from the sleek minimalism of earlier decades, embracing ornament and historical reference with a fresh, contemporary sensibility.
- Artist
- Michael Graves
- Date
- 1981
- Medium
- Cotton, plain weave; screen printed
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 351.9 × 140.7 cm (136 1/8 × 55 3/8 in.) 21 × 24.5 cm (8 1/4 × 9 5/8 in.)
- Collection
- Textiles
- Culture
- Ohio
- Credit line
- Gift of Sunar Hausermann
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The way the blue shapes seem to interlock and overlap, creating a sense of depth.
Observe the precise, almost mechanical quality of the screen-printed lines.
Notice how the black outlines define and separate the blue and white areas.
Imagine this fabric as a curtain; how would the light play through these patterns?
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Tracery (Curtain Material) — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
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