Tapestry Art of Marie Cuttoli: The Modern Thread from Miró to Man Ray

How one visionary woman revived the art of tapestry weaving for the modern era.

In 1930s Paris, leading modern artists experimented with tapestry design, thanks to pioneering entrepreneur Marie Cuttoli (1879–1973). Cuttoli lived between Algeria and Paris and collected work by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Georges Braque.

This exhibition traces her career, from her early work in fashion and interiors to her revival of the French tapestry industry. She commissioned the most celebrated artists of her time—Rouault, Léger, Picasso, Braque, Le Corbusier, Man Ray, and Miró, among others—to create designs for the historic tapestry workshops in Aubusson. By uniting these important paintings and drawings with the resulting tapestry, this exhibition shows their true purpose, revealing modernism’s profound dialogue with the decorative arts.

When a selection of these tapestries toured the US in the 1930s and ’40s, Cuttoli enjoyed the support of Dr. Albert Barnes, who was one of her most vocal advocates and patrons. Fittingly, the Barnes Foundation is the first major American institution to celebrate her visionary approach to art and business.

That Barnes is open Wednesday through Monday. When buying your ticket online, use discount code BARNESWOMEN100.