Chris Lebeau’s table linen damask
Dutch design, Irish linen
Sanny de Zoete owns the exclusive rights to producing damask table
linen designed by Chris Lebeau (1878-1945). It is for the first time in
history that these patterns are produced again, with 100% pure linen damask
just like the originals. There are four different designs available: Butterfly
(1905), Apple (1910), Tomato (1926)
en Straalbreking (1930).
The renowned artist Chris Lebeau was a highly valued and very prolific
designer, who designed more table linen than any other designer in the
Netherlands. He was commissioned to design at least as many as 57 table
linen patterns between 1905 and 1939 by the then leading linen weaver
Van Dissel & Zonen in Eindhoven. His designs were unique in the sense
that he made different designs for the table cloth, the napkin and the
small napkin with variations on the theme of the basic pattern. His work
is generally inspired by nature.
He was very popular in his time and the critics described his table linen
as ‘triumphs of the two-dimensional surface’. In 1932 a surprising series
of table linen damask was produced, the trendsetting designs seem to present
an outlook towards the future period of Op Art. One of these designs is
Straalbreking. At the time, Lebeau’s table linen was a
must for every well-to-do, modern woman!
Sanny de Zoete is co-author of the book Artistiek
damast van Brabantse bodem 1900-1960 (Artistic linen damask from Brabant
1900-1960), about linen damask by Chris Lebeau and other designers.
The Dutch Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Máxima
received a set of table linen damask with the Apple design as a wedding
gift from the readers and editors of the Dutch magazine Vorsten
Royale. more »
Sanny de Zoete does not only sell newly produced table linen designed by Chris Lebeau, she also sells original antique table linen produced by Van Dissel.
