TEXTILE COLUMN: the work of master textile maker, Josef Frank

Navigare, 1946

LET'S CELEBRATE 

THE BEAUTY 

OF 

JOSEF FRANK TEXTILES

 Green birds by Josef Frank in 1943

“every work of art is a puzzle… 

as it is the product of a process 

of thought that is for us unfamiliar and unfathomable. 

That is why we have a particular fondness for strange objects.” 

-Josef Frank

Today, I pay homage to a textile great.  As a decade-long textile designers myself, I have come to learn and value how fabric and wallpaper can provide much to a home.  Textiles can certainly set the tone, and they continue to be a a wonderful way to bring in pattern and softness.  One of the textile designers I first learned about in design school at Parsons was Josef Frank.  In design school, there was an entire class dedicated to the genius of his work, so today I share some of my thoughst on the history of Joseph Frank.

 One of my favorite patterns is "Primavera" meaning spring which Frank created in 1920. I love the flower beds, tulips and hyacinths in this fantastical pattern. 

inspired by traditional Persian rugs, Tehran is a colorful pattern.  Printed for the first time in 1991, it was originally created in 1940. 

Frank designed Hawaii while living in NYC between 1943-1945  Inspired by Palampores shown at the MET museum in NYC.  

Intertwined stems, flora and fauna in a dream-like pattern. 

Frank created Celocaulis in 1930 and derived from an Asian flower 

About Frank

During the early 1900’s and at the height of extreme minimalism in design, there was the rise in popularity of textile genius Josef Frank, whose work stood out in stark contrast. Frank offered bold, vibrant and (yes, the opposite of minimalism) richly layered patterns with vivid coloring. It was refreshing to see such personality in textiles at this time. His patterns often depicted nature but done in a whimsical and fantastical manner with oversized botanicals, sometimes topical florals and lots of detailing. He becames a pioneer in the industry and his work included rug, embroidery, textiles and furniture design (in addition to interior design).  His aesthetic was Matisse-like in style.  

Born in Austria in 1885, Frank was a trained architect and studied at the Vienna University of Technology.  He then co-founded interior design firm Haus & Garten and in the midst of the 1920s, he designed municipal housing complexes to fight against the house shortage in Vienna. However, soon antisemitism was on a sharp rise, and he fled to Sweden. There he joined Svenskt Tenn and helped to developed the unique aesthetic the company is known for today. After World War II, Frank moves to New York in 1943 where he creates much work.  

He was one of the first in the industry to understand layered and slow designing, and he came up with the phrase, "Accidentism," explaining that interiors feel most authentic when they they are derived from travel and careful curation while tapping into one’s passions. Joseph’s textiles injected personality into a home. While at Svenskt Tenn, he created many of his most well known patterns - "Brazil" and "Manhattan," both with a nod to nature and intricacy. Other patterns like "Vegetable Tree" and "Green Birds," are valued in interior design world still today.

Happy Nesting

XO Tamara