Roman Candles Textile

Fireworks—bursts of orange, yellow, and brown—shower this screen-printed linen designed by A. Joel Robinson for L. Anton Maix Fabrics. Fittingly titled "Roman Candles," this textile captures the painterly sensibility and architectural training of its multifaceted designer. Robinson is one of the first African American designers to have gained national attention in the mid-century. A 1951 "Ebony Magazine" article described the “youthful New Yorker” as “the most promising newcomer in the creative textile design field.” That same year, "Roman Candles" was featured in the Museum of Modern Art and Chicago Merchandise Mart’s Good Design shows.