Floorcloth

This floor cloth is designed in a tile pattern that is painted red, maroon, olive, gold, beige, and black. It looks like it is a mosaic.
Floorcloth in a geometric tile pattern from George Harrison and Co., possibly 1880s

A floorcloth, or floor-cloth, is a household furnishing used for warmth, decoration, or to protect expensive carpets. They were primarily produced and used from the early 18th to the early 20th century and were also referred to as oilcloth, wax cloths, and painted canvas.[1] Some still use floorcloths as a customizable alternative to rugs, and some artists have elected to use floorcloths as a medium of expression. Most modern floorcloths are made of heavy, unstretched canvas[2] with two or more coats of gesso. They are then painted and varnished to make them waterproof.

  1. ^ Davis, Marylou (2012). "From Factory to Floor: A Short History of the Lowly Floorcloth". Historic Deerfield. 13 (Summer): 13–17.
  2. ^ canvas print