Kees Van Dongen in Paris Part II

Collection Les Arts Decoratifs Paris

The couturier Paul Poiret went to visit the work shops of the Wiener Werkstatte  in Vienna.  He was inspired by this and other folk craft traditions in Eastern Europe. 

When he returned to Paris he founded Atelier Martine in April 1911. Paul Poiret named  the school and workshop after one of his daughters. Originally he set it up as a school and workshop for young girls to train in the decorative arts. What he sought was the uninhibited freshness and originality  these young girls brought their drawings. They were trained in the applied arts they also wove the designs into carpets,  and other home furnishing and under his direction they even designed interiors.
 

 Above Carpet in situ in Van Dongen's salon, at 29 villa Said c. 1920

Image from All Eyes on Van Dongen museum van  boijmans beuningen

The Carpet  was designed by Kees Van Dongen the Franco-Dutch Painter for his own home. It is now in the collection of Musee Les Arts Decoratifs here in Paris.  It was made by the Atelier Martine. Van Dongen's exuberant free hand  and exotic colors must have appealed to his friend Paul Poiret.

Paul Poiret was always seeking new inspirations, he collaborated with many artists like the painter  Raoul Duffy who went on to a lucrative career in textile design with  Bianchini-Ferier Lyon.

suggested reading A fashion For Extravagance by Sara Bowman E. P. Dutton New York,1985