1998.38, Textile panel, Maria Kipp (designer), American, 1920-1980

One of America's foremost 20th-century textile designers, Maria Kipp produced hand-woven fabrics for drapery and upholstery. Kipp trained in Munich and became the first woman to attend the State Academy for the Textile Industry. After emigrating in 1924, Kipp's first major commission came in the late 1930s when she wove all of the curtains for Los Angeles City Hall and the San Francisco Stock Exchange.

Leading architects and interior designers were drawn to the superb craftsmanship and custom colors of Kipp's textiles. Although her career unfolded after the closing of the famous Bauhaus art school, the designer consistently incorporated the Bauhaus tradition of geometric abstraction and linear forms.

This textile panel and thirty-four others in the Dallas Museum of Art's collection comprise the finest examples of her work from all periods of her production.  

Charles Venable, DMA unpublished material, 2002.

Before 1988: Maria Kipp (1900-1988), Los Angeles, California [1] [2]

1988-1998: Los Angeles Modern Auctions/Giles Kotcher and Peter Loughery (estate dealers), Somerville, Massachusetts [1] [2]

From 1998: Dallas Museum of Art, The Jane R. Van Hooser Memorial Fund, purchased from Los Angeles Modern Auctions/Giles Kotcher and Peter Loughery (estate dealers) , Somerville, Massachusetts [2] [3] [4] [5]

[1] According to the Acquisition Proposal by Stephen Harrison, DMA Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts (copy found in object file 1998.16 and dated February 23, 1998)

[2] See "Memo with list of objects belonging to Maria Kipp (1900-1988), Los Angeles, California. Offered for sale and/or gifted by Giles Kotcher and Peter Loughery (estate dealers) to the Dallas Museum of Art for examination as found in the object file 1998.16 (dated February 27, 1998)." 

[3] According to an invoice from Giles Kotcher dated 2/10/98 (copy in object file 1998.17).

[4] According to written correspondence between Edd M. Van Hooser and Stephen Harrison (DMA Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts) discussing the 23 textiles (dated April 1998 through August 1998--copies in object file 1998.19).

[5] According to Committee on Collections Record document approving the acquisition of these textiles as part of the DMA's permanent collection (dated March 10, 1998 and found in the 1998.16 object file)