CINXE.COM

Overview – A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" data-home-url="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/" data-ajax-url="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" class="is-viewing-nav-page" data-stacked-mode="false" data-see-all-cards-mode="false"> <head> <title>Overview – A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes</title> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"> <meta name="description" content="Designer and weaver Dorothy Liebes (1897–1972) was a key figure in the development and popularization of American modernist design. Her influence extended across a swath of disciplines, from textiles to interiors, transportation and industrial design, fashion, and film."> <meta name="keywords" content=""> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width"> <meta property="og:url" content="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/"> <meta itemprop="name" content="Overview "> <meta property="og:image" content="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/AAA_liebdoro_70136.png"> <meta itemprop="image" content="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/AAA_liebdoro_70136.png"> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/AAA_liebdoro_70136.png"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1000"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1340"> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/png"> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="three women in a colorful studio space. two of the women are seated at looms while the third looks on. in the background there is a wall of shelves filled with colorful yarns."> <meta property="og:description" content="Designer and weaver Dorothy Liebes (1897–1972) was a key figure in the development and popularization of American modernist design. Her influence extended across a swath of disciplines, from textiles to interiors, transportation and industrial design, fashion, and film."> <meta itemprop="description" content="Designer and weaver Dorothy Liebes (1897–1972) was a key figure in the development and popularization of American modernist design. Her influence extended across a swath of disciplines, from textiles to interiors, transportation and industrial design, fashion, and film."> <meta property="og:title" content="Overview "> <meta property="og:site_name" content="A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes"> <meta property="og:see_also" content="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/"> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/"> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Overview "> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Designer and weaver Dorothy Liebes (1897–1972) was a key figure in the development and popularization of American modernist design. Her influence extended across a swath of disciplines, from textiles to interiors, transportation and industrial design, fashion, and film."> <script> (function() { var setDynamicStyles = function() { document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--responsiveVh', (window.innerHeight * 0.01) + 'px'); }; window.addEventListener('resize', setDynamicStyles); setDynamicStyles(); var vh = window.innerHeight * 0.01; document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--vh', vh + 'px'); })(); </script> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/sparkles_2728.png"> <style type="text/css"> :root { --theme-foreground-color: #ffffff; --theme-background-color: #b5a70d; --theme-accent-color: #cec34d; --theme-display-font: 'CooperHewitt-Display'; --theme-body-font: 'CooperHewitt-Body'; --theme-body-text-color: #ffffff; --theme-card-background-color: #ffffff; } .card--inverse { --theme-foreground-color: #b5a70d; --theme-background-color: #ffffff; } .card { --theme-display-font: 'CooperHewitt-Display'; --theme-body-font: 'CooperHewitt-Body'; --theme-body-text-color: #000000; } .cooper-hewitt-styles { --theme-display-font: 'CooperHewitt-Display'; --theme-body-font: 'CooperHewitt-Body'; } </style> <meta name='robots' content='max-image-preview:large' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//www.googletagmanager.com' /> <style id='classic-theme-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> /*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} </style> <style id='global-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> :root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square: 1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3: 4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4: 3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2: 3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3: 2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9: 16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16: 9/16;--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #ffffff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: #f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red: #cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple: #9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small: 13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium: 20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large: 36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large: 42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20: 0.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30: 0.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40: 1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50: 1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60: 2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70: 3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80: 5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}.has-black-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;} :where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;} :where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;} :root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;} </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='sandbox-stylesheet-css' href='https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/themes/cooper-hewitt-hypercard/style.css?ver=1733171022' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-json/" /><link rel="alternate" title="JSON" type="application/json" href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-json/wp/v2/pages/5" /><link rel="canonical" href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/" /> <link rel='shortlink' href='https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/?p=5' /> <link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (JSON)" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexhibitions.cooperhewitt.org%2Fdorothy-liebes%2Foverview%2F" /> <link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (XML)" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexhibitions.cooperhewitt.org%2Fdorothy-liebes%2Foverview%2F&#038;format=xml" /> <meta name="generator" content="Site Kit by Google 1.108.0" /><meta name="google-site-verification" content="B0jN7fSqFEGNvGCsYirePE6ENcTARDxazCYIGnVMT7I"> <!-- Google Tag Manager snippet added by Site Kit --> <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ ( function( w, d, s, l, i ) { w[l] = w[l] || []; w[l].push( {'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js'} ); var f = d.getElementsByTagName( s )[0], j = d.createElement( s ), dl = l != 'dataLayer' ? '&l=' + l : ''; j.async = true; j.src = 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=' + i + dl; f.parentNode.insertBefore( j, f ); } )( window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-WS2K5DC' ); /* ]]> */ </script> <!-- End Google Tag Manager snippet added by Site Kit --> </head> <body class="page-template page-template-page_overview page-template-page_overview-php page page-id-5 page-overview"> <aside role="complementary"> <a href="#application-wrapper" class="show-on-focus blank-link" data-default-jump-link="true">Skip to content</a> </aside> <header id="header" class="header py-3"> <div class="site-container"> <div class="container-fluid"> <div class="row align-items-md-center"> <div class="col-3 col-md-2 d-flex header__col-1"> <a href="https://www.cooperhewitt.org/exhibitions" class="opacity-link"> <svg class="header__logo" width="86" height="46" viewBox="0 0 86 46" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M54.3291 7.37286C54.3291 9.46519 53.4575 9.96336 52.3922 9.96336H51.7142V4.78236H52.3922C53.4575 4.78236 54.3291 5.28053 54.3291 7.37286ZM51.7142 14.5466H52.8764C56.1692 14.5466 59.0746 13.4506 59.0746 7.4725C59.0746 1.49442 56.1692 0.398438 52.8764 0.398438H46.9688V22.1188H51.8111V14.5466H51.7142Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M9.3959 23.9124V32.2817H5.52203V23.9124H0.679688V45.6327H5.52203V36.7652H9.3959V45.6327H14.2382V23.9124H9.3959Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M15.9805 23.9124V45.6327H28.0863V41.1491H20.8228V36.7652H26.6336V32.2817H20.8228V28.2963H28.0863V23.9124H15.9805Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M58.2994 23.9124H53.457V45.6327H58.2994V23.9124Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M68.4686 28.2963H72.1488V23.9124H60.043V28.2963H63.7232V45.6327H68.4686V28.2963Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M82.3163 28.2963H85.9965V23.9124H73.8906V28.2963H77.474V45.6327H82.3163V28.2963Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M60.043 0.298584V22.1186H72.1488V17.635H64.8853V13.2511H70.6961V8.76753H64.8853V4.78214H72.1488V0.298584H60.043Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M24.7934 11.9562C24.7934 16.9379 24.3092 18.0339 22.6628 18.0339H22.4691C20.8227 18.0339 20.3384 16.9379 20.3384 11.9562V10.4616C20.3384 5.4799 20.8227 4.38392 22.4691 4.38392H22.6628C24.3092 4.38392 24.7934 5.4799 24.7934 10.4616V11.9562ZM15.4961 11.5576C15.4961 19.628 17.2393 22.3182 22.5659 22.3182C27.8925 22.3182 29.6357 19.628 29.6357 11.5576V10.7605C29.6357 2.69013 27.8925 0 22.5659 0C17.2393 0 15.4961 2.69013 15.4961 10.7605V11.5576Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M0.193694 11.5573C0.193694 19.6278 2.51802 22.3179 7.55405 22.3179C12.2027 22.3179 14.3333 20.5245 14.3333 15.0446V14.4467H9.58784C9.49099 17.1369 8.81306 18.0336 7.6509 18.0336H7.26351C6.0045 18.0336 4.93919 16.9376 4.93919 11.9559V10.4614C4.93919 5.47963 6.0045 4.38365 7.26351 4.38365H7.45721C8.71622 4.38365 9.39414 5.18073 9.39414 8.76758H14.1396V7.37269C14.1396 1.79315 12.009 0.0993652 7.36036 0.0993652C2.32432 0.0993652 0 2.7895 0 10.8599V11.5573H0.193694Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M39.9965 11.9562C39.9965 16.9379 39.5123 18.0339 37.8659 18.0339H37.6722C36.0258 18.0339 35.5416 16.9379 35.5416 11.9562V10.4616C35.5416 5.4799 36.0258 4.38392 37.6722 4.38392H37.8659C39.5123 4.38392 39.9965 5.4799 39.9965 10.4616V11.9562ZM30.6992 11.5576C30.6992 19.628 32.4425 22.3182 37.769 22.3182C43.0956 22.3182 44.8389 19.628 44.8389 11.5576V10.7605C44.8389 2.69013 43.0956 0 37.769 0C32.4425 0 30.6992 2.69013 30.6992 10.7605V11.5576Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M78.733 14.5463H79.6046L80.8636 22.1186H85.9965L83.769 13.3507C84.8343 12.5536 85.9965 10.9595 85.9965 7.37264C85.9965 1.4942 83.0911 0.298584 79.7983 0.298584H73.8906V22.1186H78.733V14.5463ZM81.3478 7.37264C81.3478 9.46497 80.4762 9.96314 79.4109 9.96314H78.733V4.78214H79.4109C80.4762 4.78214 81.3478 5.28031 81.3478 7.37264Z"/> <path class="cooper-hewitt-logo__path" d="M40.5772 23.9124H37.7686L35.638 39.555H35.5411L34.2821 23.9124H29.2461L32.1515 45.6327H38.4465L40.5772 30.7871H40.674L42.7078 45.6327H49.0997L51.9083 23.9124H46.8722L45.7101 39.555H45.5164L43.3857 23.9124H40.5772Z"/> </svg> <span class="sr-only">A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes</span> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-md-8 text-center header__col-2 d-flex flex-column justify-content-center px-0-mobile"> <div class="nav-title"> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes" rel="home" class="opacity-link"> <span class="d-md-none">The Designs of Dorothy Liebes</span> <span class="d-none d-md-block">A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes</span> </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-3 col-md-2 d-flex justify-content-end header__col-3"> <form role="search" method="get" class="searchform" action="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/" autocomplete="off"> <div class="search__input-wrapper d-flex"> <label for="s" class="sr-only">Search Query</label> <input type="text" value="" name="s" id="s" class="search__input" placeholder="Search |"> <div class="button-set flex-nowrap"> <button type="submit" class="search__submit-button button button--inverse"> GO </button> <div id="search__clear-button" class="search__clear-button button button--inverse"> Clear </div> </div> </div> </form> <svg width="24" height="19" viewBox="0 0 24 19" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" id="open-search-button" class="open-search-button opacity-link" alt="Open search form"> <circle cx="9.21875" cy="9.21875" r="8.21875" stroke="white" stroke-width="2" style="stroke: var(--theme-foreground-color);"/> <line x1="15.9386" y1="12.3728" x2="22.7655" y2="16.1236" stroke="white" stroke-width="2" style="stroke: var(--theme-foreground-color);"/> </svg> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes" id="hamburger" class="hamburger opacity-link" aria-label="Main menu" role="button" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="hamburger__line hamburger__line--1"></span> <span class="hamburger__line hamburger__line--2"></span> <span class="hamburger__line hamburger__line--3"></span> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <main id="application-wrapper" class="application-wrapper" tabindex="0"> <div class="site-container page-content"> <div class="container-fluid"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8 order-1 order-md-0"> <h1 class="jumbo text-uppercase mb-3">A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes</h1> <div class="default-styles medium-body-text mb-8"> <p>Designer and weaver Dorothy Liebes (1897–1972), who introduced handcraft and brilliant color to the modern interior, was among the most influential designers of the 20th century. This digital platform explores how the “<a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=3#all-pages">Liebes Look</a>”—which combined vivid color, lush texture, and often a glint of metallic—became inextricably linked with the American modern aesthetic. Choose a topic to explore her impact on mid-20th-century <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=8#all-pages">interiors</a>, <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=6#all-pages">fashion</a>, <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=6#all-pages">film</a>, and <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=5#all-pages">industrial design</a>, and meet some of the <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=7#all-pages">studio weavers</a> who contributed to the success of the Dorothy Liebes Studio.</p> </div> <div id="post-journey-items-wrapper" class="row"> <div id="post-journey-items" class="col" data-ajax-link="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=sandbox_get_journey"> <div style="min-height: 191px;"> <h2 class="h2-display text-uppercase">Your journey so far</h2> <div class="mt-2">Loading...</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row small-gutters mt-8 mb-3" name="all-pages" data-smooth-scroll-immediate="true"> <div class="col"> <h2 class="h2-display text-uppercase">All pages</h2> <div class="small-body-text"> <span class="highlight-indicator"></span>Your journey so far </div> </div> </div> <div class="row small-gutters"> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/category/better-better/" class="col-12 category-grid-item-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="5" data-journey-trackable-type="category"> <div class="category-grid-item-link__inner position-relative"> <div class="category-grid-item__name-wrapper d-flex flex-column align-items-center justify-content-center text-center p-3"> <div class="category-grid-item__name h2-display text-uppercase pt-2">Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less</div> </div> </div> <div class="medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title></div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/kashmir-for-pomona-tile/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="98" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/IL2021.27.16-1-1-scaled-e1683840144411-1000x959.jpg" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/IL2021.27.16-1-1-scaled-e1683840144411.jpg"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>“Kashmir” for Pomona Tile</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/american-airlines/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="417" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/06/AA-Liebes-1-995x1000.png" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/06/AA-Liebes-1.png"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>American Airlines</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/bigelow-sanford-custom-carpets/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="625" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-10-at-7.22.45-PM.png" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-10-at-7.22.45-PM.png"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>Bigelow-Sanford Custom Carpets</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/carol-stanley/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="330" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/06/DE-Carol-Stanley-fig-1-750x1000.jpeg" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/06/DE-Carol-Stanley-fig-1.jpeg" data-caption="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Fig. 1&lt;/strong&gt; Model in the Dorothy Liebes Studio in front of Liebes’s Ram’s Head loom, seated on a Liebes cushion and wearing a Dorothy Liebes for Carol Stanley woven shawl, as photographed for Carol Stanley, 1948; Dorothy Liebes Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC &lt;/p&gt;"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>Carol Stanley</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/chrysler-plymouth-fury/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="111" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/Penick_6B.jpg" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/Penick_6B.jpg" data-caption="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Fig. 1&lt;/strong&gt; Chrysler Plymouth Fury, 1957; Chrysler Archives &lt;/p&gt;"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>Chrysler Plymouth Fury</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/dupont-pavilion/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="336" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/06/MAD-1973_2_11-789x1000.jpg" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/06/MAD-1973_2_11-scaled.jpg" data-caption="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Fig. 1&lt;/strong&gt; Prototype curtain for Blue Theater, DuPont Pavilion, New York World’s Fair, 1964; DuPont Orlon and Fairtex metallic yarn; Museum of Arts &amp;amp; Design, Gift of Dorothy Liebes Design through the American Craft Council, 1973.2.11 &lt;/p&gt;"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>DuPont Pavilion</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/goodall/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="740" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2023-07-18-at-1.41.30-AM-907x1000.png" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2023-07-18-at-1.41.30-AM.png"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>Goodall Fabrics</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/kenwood-blankets/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="81" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/Screen-Shot-2023-06-27-at-1.03.55-AM-988x1000.png" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/Screen-Shot-2023-06-27-at-1.03.55-AM.png" data-caption="&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fig. 1&lt;/strong&gt; Dorothy Liebes, Design for a Blanket, 1952; Graphite and gouache collage on paper; Dorothy Liebes Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC &lt;/p&gt;"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>Kenwood Blankets</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/united-wallpaper/" class="col-6 col-md-4 col-xl-3 opacity-link mb-6" data-journey-trackable-id="733" data-journey-trackable-type="post"> <div class="background-image landscape-image-tall background-image lazy-image lazyload" style="background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);" data-bg="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2023-07-18-at-1.26.16-AM-1000x958.png" data-src-full="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2023-07-18-at-1.26.16-AM.png"></div> <h3 class="post-grid-item__title medium-title theme-foreground-color text-shadow mt-2" data-journey-trackable-title><p>United Wallpaper</p> </h3> <div class="post-grid-item__labels tiny-title" style="margin-top: 2px;"> Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less, Essay </div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-4 order-0 order-md-0 mb-3 md-md-0"> <div id="header__sidebar" class="header__sidebar mb-4"> <nav id="header__nav" class="header__nav large-body-text text-uppercase" data-page-path="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/about-the-exhibition/"> <div class="menu-main-menu-container"><ul id="menu-main-menu" class="menu"><li id="menu-item-7" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page current-menu-item page_item page-item-5 current_page_item menu-item-7 menu-item-slug-overview" data-slug="overview"><a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/" aria-current="page">Overview</a></li> <li id="menu-item-8" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-8 menu-item-slug-about-the-exhibition" data-slug="about-the-exhibition"><a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/about-the-exhibition/">About the Exhibition</a></li> <li id="menu-item-571" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-571 menu-item-slug-the-publication" data-slug="the-publication"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300266153/a-dark-a-light-a-bright/">The Publication</a></li> </ul></div> </nav> <div class="row mt-6"> <div class="col-6 tiny-title"> <div class="mb-2">By Topic:</div> <ul class="link-list"> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">All</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=10#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">Dorothy Liebes</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=3#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">The Liebes Look</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=8#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">The Modern Interior</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=7#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">Studio Weavers</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=5#all-pages" class="opacity-link active">Better &amp; Better for Less &amp; Less</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=6#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">Fashion &amp; Film</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/overview/?category=9#all-pages" class="opacity-link ">The Idea Factory</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <footer id="footer" class="footer my-gutter"> </footer> <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) snippet added by Site Kit --> <noscript> <iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-WS2K5DC" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe> </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) snippet added by Site Kit --> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/themes/cooper-hewitt-hypercard/assets/javascripts/lib/jquery.min.js" id="jquery-js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/themes/cooper-hewitt-hypercard/assets/javascripts/dist/application.min.js?ver=1730409928" id="application-js"></script> <script> (function() { var footer = document.getElementById('footer'); if ( !footer ) { document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--footerHeight', 45 + 'px'); return; } var setDynamicStyles = function() { footer.style.overflow = 'visible'; var style = footer.currentStyle || window.getComputedStyle(footer); var marginTop = style.marginTop; var marginBottom = style.marginBottom; var footerHeight = footer.offsetHeight; var footerMarginTop = parseInt(marginTop); var footerMarginBottom = parseInt(marginBottom); var totalHeight = footerHeight + footerMarginTop + footerMarginBottom; if ( App.breakpoint.isMobile() ) footer.style.overflow = 'hidden'; document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--footerHeight', totalHeight + 'px'); }; window.addEventListener('resize', setDynamicStyles); setDynamicStyles(); $(function() { setDynamicStyles(); $(document).on('app:footer-ajax-load', function() { setDynamicStyles(); }); }); App.externalArrowLinkUrl = "https://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/dorothy-liebes/wp-content/themes/cooper-hewitt-hypercard/assets/images/arrow-external.svg"; })(); </script> </body> </html>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10