An unusual printed cotton bed set, probably Normandy, designer unknown, circa 1840, comprising; three curtains and a pelmet, with an unusual design of a child burying his head in an old man’s crotch and an old lady telling stories to another group of children, in shades of mustard with printed brown braid effect edging, (4)
The game shown on the panels is possibly `Mains Chaudes’ a french game similar to hide and seek, and blind man’s buff, where the child has to guess the name of the person touching their hand which is held behind their back, whilst their eyes are covered. However, the place the child has chosen to hide his face is most unusual!
The print is reproduced in ’Textiles from Mulhouse’, second in the series, by Jean-Michel Tuscherer. We are indebted to Judy Wentworth for this reference.