Miniature Painting. France, c.1880s. Gouache on paper. "Lady Riding Mule" figure is 1.5" high; the entire design is 5" x 5.5" and in repeat. These small figures were created specifically for use as textile designs. Called "mill engravings" they would have been printed by finely engraved copper rollers on shirting-weight plain white cotton and used by both men and women for shirts, blouses, aprons, children's clothes, and patchwork quilts. They were extremely popular in the last quarter of the 19th century - so popular in fact, that designers were constantly having to come up with new motifs. These examples show some of the odd and whimsical results. The two printed-cloth samples at the bottom of the page are not included. They are from a mill sample book dated 1885-86.