Titian Sisyphus Silk Pocket Square, 14x14 Charmeuse

Titian's Sisyphus, recolored for menswear and printed on pure silk charmeuse.

What makes it special

• After Titian's Sisyphus
• Pure silk charmeuse with a satin weave for a high-shine finish

Materials and craftsmanship

• 100% pure silk charmeuse, satin weave
• 14 momme weight
• Machine-rolled hem
• Designed in Ashburn, Virginia

Size and care

• Size: 14 x 14 in
• Care: hand wash cold or dry clean

Styling suggestions

Try a puff fold to show off the artwork, or a point fold for a cleaner line. Pair it with navy, charcoal or gray tailoring, or let it lift a sport coat. A thoughtful gift for weddings and groomsmen and anniversaries.

About the artwork

Artwork: after Titian.

In Greek mythology Sisyphus was the king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth). He was punished for his self-aggrandizing craftiness and deceitfulness by being forced to roll an immense boulder up a hill only for it to roll down every time it neared the top, repeating this action for eternity.

There's varied interpretations of Sisyphus, some would say it symbolizes tasks that are both laborious and futile, some regard him as the disk of the sun that rises every day in the east and then sinks into the west, some regard him as a personification of waves rising and falling, or of the treacherous sea The 1st-century BC Epicurean philosopher Lucretius interprets the myth of Sisyphus as personifying politicians aspiring for political office who are constantly defeated, with the quest for power, in itself an "empty thing", being likened to rolling the boulder up the hill. Albert Camus, in his 1942 essay The Myth of Sisyphus, saw Sisyphus as personifying the absurdity of human life, but Camus concludes "one must imagine Sisyphus happy" as "The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart."

I prefer Camus' interpretation...resigned to figuratively rolling a rock up a hill each day for eternity, but consistently reaching the top. As the boulder rolls back down the hill there's an opportunity to rest and take in the view from the hilltop, I imagine it'd be majestic and have made the effort worth the struggle. Constantly looking forward to those peaks in our existence, no high's without lows, and those things that are worth achieving may seem futile or laborious. Some injustices may be worth accepting and continuing to move forward. Some struggles, maybe, are worth the brief rewards of the view from the top.

Regardless of your interpretation, I think this piece is a great color combination and regardless of how you assign meaning to the tasks at hand, your struggles, you can still choose to look forward, you can keep moving forward, onward and upward, and choose whether or not you want to be happy.

Shipping and returns

Orders usually ship within 1–2 business days. Returns and exchanges are accepted within 30 days of delivery: email tranidesigns@gmail.com before sending anything back. Items must be unused and in their original packaging, and the buyer pays return shipping. If an order arrives damaged or wrong, email within 7 days of delivery with a photo.