L'Afrique

Robert Bonfils (1886-1972) designed this woven silk furnishing fabric called 'L'Afrique' for Bianchini-Férier between 1925 and 1928. Bonfils was also a graphic artist. This design shows the interest of the time in exoticism. The silk manufacturers Bianchini-Férier were known for their innovative and lively fabrics in bright colours. Lyon was famous for its silk industry, which had flourished since the 1500s. It was a major producer of luxury goods for a worldwide market. This was an era when the French government actively promoted this sector, since they sought to establish French design as the foremost in Europe. In 1909 Charles Bianchini, one of the partners in the firm, had visited Vienna

Furnishing fabric · Lyon · 1925-1928. Woven silk. By Robert Bonfils. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.