The Embroideress

Get ready to be lost in eye candy. I check in every once in a while on ArtFund, a site dedicated to documenting art purchased with the purpose of keeping it in UK collections. A search of the term "textile" yields 239 images.
The images are undoubtedly provided by the holding museums and vary in quality but are generally good and enlarged views are provided. Unfortunately sometimes no image is provided, only tantalizing indications of the item.

A woman's jacket employing an unusual vermiform design in gilt and spangles including a back view for those interested in construction.

A Stuart casket unusually accompanied by a carrying case covered with 18th century wallpaper made to protect it. It seems to have protected it well as the colors of the embroidery are bright and vibrant although the mounting board and braid are a bit disheveled.

Lest we forget the gentlemen - try a look at Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick's coat, waistcoat and amazingly stockings included. Undecorated clothing is less often preserved for us to see.


For some delicate Jacobean embroidery

As usual, don't blame me if you are caught up surfing and surfing and surfing for embroidery.

Labels: Costume history, History of Needlework, Needlework, Textile Collections

Once in a blue moon a museum mounts a very specialized exhibit centered on a rather narrow family of textiles.

In 1973 the Musee des Arts Decoratifs assembled from their extensive collection an exhibit comprised of 506 braids, fringes, tassels, decorative motifs and every other sort of opulant decorative excess the French so adore and at which they excell in production and application.

The catalog of the exhibit is both eye candy and an excellent reference. It is mostly illustrated with black and white plates of such a crisp resolution that they are still a delight. The color plates are of the same quality. There is a glossary and illustrations of various tassel molds and the descriptions of the examples as well as all of the text is in French. The examples extend from a few dated 16th century to contemporary wonders.

There are copies of the catalog to be found on a used book search (I used http:/www.addall.com) in various prices. It can be found by title des Dorelotiers aux Passementiers.

Labels: Bands, Braids, Fringes, Tassels, Textile Collections

Museum sites with extensive textile collections merit return visits from time to time. Many of them are working very hard to offer information and images for the online visitor.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is a great example. They have expanded their online offerings greatly since my last visit. Their Textile Department offers 4385 works for your delight. Be sure to click on the More Information tab for full curatorial notes. Some objects have reverse images available and detail photographs. You can Zoomify some textiles and except for one exception I found the zoomed details extremely clear and sharp. Another interesting feature offers you the ability to interact with the department by suggesting labels/tags to help others find items more easily.

I managed to skim the thumbnails and listings for 500 items and to delve into far more than I should have - given my current time constraints. Some of my picks so far:

Embroidery from an altar frontal: Coronation of the Virgin. Exquisite Or Nue Italian, 15th Century. Zoomify and detail views available.

Altar Frontal: Scenes from the Childhood of Christ. Zoomify and detail views of front and reverse available. 16th century c.1500. France/South Netherlands - woven tapestry

Embroidered Panel, Italy, 16th 17th century

As usual, I waive all responsibility for your getting lost at this site.

Labels: Cleveland Museum of Art, Needlework history, Textile Collections

I'm known to complain about the lack of respect afforded textiles by archaeologists in the past. Modern practitioners are an improved lot however and treasure those grubby little rags and scraps found at a dig.

Archaeology has long been a major industry in what is modern Egypt. And finds range from pre-historic to objects from modern conflicts. Egypt has been conquered and re-cultured so many times it is hard to keep track of the civilizations that have influenced textiles found there. To add to the diversity, Egypt has been a trading hub from time immemorial.

The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, of the University of Michigan - Historic Textiles from Egypt shares some of their collection of Egyptian textiles from the Pharaonic, Roman and Byzantine, and later Islamic periods of Egypt's pre-modern history. Their virtual gallery leads to presentations of past exhibits (1990's). Only three exhibits are currently available but hopefully they will continue to complete the site with images from other exhibits. I'm particularly interested in seeing the needlework exhibit.

From Riches to Rags: Indian Block-Printed Textiles Traded to Egypt is an exhibit rich in graphics and documentation.

The Early Islamic Inscribed Textiles offers only a few graphics but it is worthwhile.

Reconstructing Personal style in Late Antiquityhas interesting documentation but unfortunately rather murky illustrations of some of the items from the collection.

Labels: Costume history, Egyptian Textile History, Indian Textile History, Textile Collections

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a complex site that includes the Cloisters (tapestry fame) and the Ratti Collection (for textiles of all sorts). They have decent graphics online in the collections section and just now have some Coptic bits, a nice English raised embroidery jacket, some Opus Anglicanum - you get my drift.

Decent ability to zoom.

Labels: Museums, Textile Collections