Fragment of cloth; OberKampf Manufactory, 19th century.

Fragment of canvas; Manufacture OBERKAMPF (1760-1843).
"Cupid and Psyche," c. 1810.
Printed cotton.
It has slight stains and some patches.
Measurements: 256 x 142 cm.
There is a similar piece in the MET (nº 26.265.62).
This fragment of printed fabric belongs to the famous manufacture founded by Christophe Philippe Oberkampf in Jouy-en-Josas, one of the most important centers of textile production in France between the end of the XVIII century and the first decades of the XIX. The establishment, known as Manufacture royale de toiles de Jouy, achieved extraordinary notoriety for its printed cotton fabrics popularly known as toiles de Jouy, characterized by the technical quality of their printing and the narrative sophistication of their decorative motifs. The existence of comparable pieces in important international collections confirms the wide diffusion of this type of fabric. A closely related example is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. 26.265.62), which makes it possible to place this fragment within the documented production of Jouy's manufacture around 1810.
The scene depicted on the fabric is inspired by the myth of Cupid and Psyche, one of the most widespread narratives of classical antiquity, transmitted mainly through the work Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass by the Latin writer Apuleius. The story tells of the love between Psyche, a mortal princess of extraordinary beauty, and Cupid, whose bond is subjected to various trials imposed by the goddess Venus before reaching the final reconciliation. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this episode was particularly appreciated in the visual arts for its allegorical dimension, associated with the purity of love, ideal beauty and the union between the human and the divine.
The composition of the fabric responds to the ornamental language characteristic of the toiles de Jouy: figurative scenes organized in relatively broad registers, where groups of characters are arranged in idealized landscapes or classical architectures. These narrative vignettes are repeated rhythmically on a light background, generating a continuous pattern intended for interior decoration. Such fabrics were commonly used for draperies, wall hangings, light upholstery or textile coverings, helping to create elegant atmospheres in aristocratic and bourgeois residences.
From a technical point of view, Jouy's manufacture was notable for its early adoption of advanced textile printing methods. Initially, carved wooden plates were used to print the motifs, a procedure inherited from the oriental tradition and introduced in Europe in the 17th century. Later, the factory perfected the use of engraved copper plates, a technique that made it possible to obtain finer lines and compositions of great graphic richness, close in appearance to intaglio prints. This system also facilitated the reproduction of complex figurative scenes inspired by contemporary engravings, pictorial models or iconographic repertoires of classical inspiration.