Littell's Living Age/Volume 129/Issue 1663/Art Needlework
From The Pall Mall Gazette.
ART NEEDLEWORK.
Among the artistic works which will shortly be despatched from this country to the Philadelphia Exhibition, few will be more attractive than the embroideries made by the ladies of the Kensington School of Art Needlework. The fabrics to be sent to the exhibition are gradually, as they are completed, being placed for a short time in the public room of the school, so that those interested in such matters may inspect them. Embroideries applied to articles of domestic use, such as doilies, tablecloths, panels for furniture, curtains, wall-hangings, etc., are shown. These works often show an amount of taste and skill which reflects credit upon the institution. But, though new life seems to have been given to artistic needlework, perfection is far off yet. The specimens often please on account of their novelty and freshness, but if we recall the simple and perfectly executed embroidery on Oriental cloths we cannot but be struck with the unsuitable and rough character of the worsted long and feather stitching of these modern English fabrics. On most of them the ornament is composed of bunches of flowers worked in long and short stitches, and these pull together and cockle the ground on which they are worked. This is particularly faulty in the case of cloths, which should either hang in natural folds or lie flat if spread out. Oriental embroiderers have given a preference to a tent-stitch or cross-stitch, worked closely. It causes no undulations, and leaves the cloth free to fall in natural folds. The introduction of embroidered panels into ebonized furniture makes a pretty effect, and examples of this work have been wrought after designs by Mr. Walter Crane. A set of wall-hangings designed by this artist displays his style of design on a much larger scale. Hitherto, Mr. Crane has been best known by his excellent illustrations of fairy-stories and nursery-rhymes; but designing for books is a different art from that of designing for wall-hangings and embroideries. The designer for these last should be well acquainted with the materials to be used and the method of their use. He should be competent to prescribe the stitches to be employed and provide the needleworkers with full and complete instructions. In the wall-hangings now under notice, flat surfaces of pink worsted stitched into regular layers, resembling in texture rather nicely-knitted stockings, serve to represent the flesh of Mr. Crane's female figures. An adaptation of a close chain-stitch would have been best. In one of Mr. Crane's hangings, two female figures are the chief subjects. The work is done in variously coloured crewels on white "sateen," a kind of damask. The figures are clad in flowing white garments; the lines of the folds are indicated by brown worsted, while the shadows are rendered in thin blue lines. Above the ornamental framework worked around these figures is a valance, the subject of which is a graceful composition of Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos at their never-ending occupations. On each side of the whole of the work above-mentioned are pilasters—the ground of which is a figured silken material having a golden effect. On this ground is worked in sombre tints of their natural colours an original and very decorative arrangement of fruits, garlands of flowers, peacocks, monkeys, mermaids, etc. Through the kindness of Mrs. Percy Wyndham an elaborate bookcase curtain, executed after a design by Mr. Morris, will be sent to Philadelphia on loan. But here, again, we must take exception to the clumsiness of the workmanship, which gives a barbaric character to the design. The details are thoroughly subservient to the general effect of the colour. They consist of straying unconventionalized vine-leaves and bunches of grapes, here and there intercepted by peacocks with half-spread tails; and the drawing of them calls for no special commendation.
Of a different class both of design and workmanship is the portière which is to be hung at the entrance of the exhibition court set apart for the productions of the needlework school. Mr. Pollen has supplied the drawings from which this work has been executed. The prominent portions of the embroidery are applique velvet forms of glaring umber colour, which completely eclipse the slight floral polychromatic arrangements apparently growing out of pungent gold couchings. To pass from Mr. Morris's grapes and peacocks to Mr. Pollen's pseudo-Venetian decoration is like going from repose to confusion. Mr. Bodley's curtains show the designer's knowledge of decorative needlework. The main part of the curtains is of cream-coloured Chinese silk edged with bands of salmon-coloured silk. On the junctures of the salmon and cream-coloured silks is traced, in embroidery stitch, a delicate mediæval pattern of roses and leaves intertwined. The outside borders are of broad bands of dull red-figured silk to which is applied a cut velvet conventional pattern of deeper red. The whole of this velvet appliqué is effectively outlined with sombre green cord twisted with gold. Another successful curtain border is that designed by Mr. Aitchison. It has been worked in coloured silks upon a rich dark-green velvet ground, which sets off the the gold thread outlines of the fanciful pink and yellow flowers interspersed among the delicate green leaves. But the most refined piece of work is the panel of "Music," designed by Mr. Burne Jones. The masterly drawing of the figures, the excellent balance of quantities in the composition, the modesty of the materials used, and the simplicity of the stitch, all combine to render this piece of needlework artistic in the highest sense. The groundwork is of pale brownish linen, and the embroidery on it is of darker brown crewels. Apollo is represented playing his lyre and seated on a pedestal beneath outspreading fruit-trees. Below him are females performing on cymbals and harps. We understand that this is the first work of its kind made at the school, and in all respects it is successful. Another class of embroideries which will excite interest is that of the reproductions of old work. Foremost of these is a white satin quilt or portière embroidered in the richest manner with gold couchings relieved by outlines of red silk. The original of this copy was shown by the Countess Brownlow at the special Loan Exhibition of Art Needlework held in 1873. ' Unfortunately, the quality of the modern gold thread—perhaps as good as could be procured—is far inferior in actual manufacture to that of the old, and in consequence, no doubt, the embroiderers found it impossible to reproduce the refined precision of the old couchings.
In conclusion, we may remark upon the advantage which the school enjoys in securing original designs from really good artists. By carefully studying and imitating stitching of the best periods the ladies at the school may look forward to acquiring distinction as art needlewomen. At present they should not rest contented with a success due rather to the novelty than the merit of their efforts.