Household Decorative Art – Embroidery | If I Had My Own Blue Box:

Household Decorative Art – Embroidery

I came across an interesting section on embroidery in Cassell’s Household Guide: Being a Complete Encyclopedia of Domestic and Social Economy Volume II, 1869 (published in London and New York.) The book divides it into two parts. I will divide it up a little more for ease of reading. I find this article to be interesting because it shows one mid to late nineteenth century perspective of a skill many of us try to imitate. I will start with this section looking at history with a bit of contemporary observation… “The art of embroidery was originally derived, like many other of our arts and sciences, from the Spanish Moors, by whom it was introduced into Europe early in the Middle Ages. As applied to tapestry hangings, it was at first ued among Christian nations for the decorations of churches, and for employment on State occasions only, till Eleanor of Castile set the example of using it for domestic purposes, which was soon generally followed by the wealthier classes. Throughout the Middle Ages needlework embroidery, chiefly for hangings, but also for some other uses, formed the great occupation of ladies when not engaged in domestic or other duties; and the beauty of their work, together with the invention and design which they displayed in it, are such as might well raise the admiration and envy of the ladies of the present day. These old works have not merely the conventional prettiness which is generally the only, though not the invariable, characteristic of modern needlework, but have often real artistic beauty, and display not merely fancy, beu even imagination, in the designs. In this respect certainly they have little in common with modern “fancy work,” which is apparently so called in a sarcastic sense, from the utter absence of any fancy displayed in it. The modern lady, instead of exercising her inventive powers, simply copies a pattern set before her, stitch by stitch, without the slightest idea of deviating from it if its forms are bad, or of developing this mere copying and counting of stitches demands too much mental exertion, and she must either purchase her “fancy work” ready begun, and the pattern laid out for her, or perhaps even with the ornamental group of flowers or other device already finished, and with nothing left to be done beyond filling in the back ground. This degeneracy in skill and taste from even the standard of those qualities in their own grandmothers, is in great measure to be attributed to the substitution of so limited a style of work as German wool embroidery for the more beautiful and legitimate styles that preceded it. In Berlin wool-work, as it has usually been practiced for the last forty years, anything like real beauty or flow of fancy is an impossibility. That this absence of invention and good taste in their lighter occupations, should continue among ladies is neither necessary pations, should continue among ladies is neither necessary nor desirable. An abundant fancy is a characteristic of the female brain, and ladies would be far happier and better in many ways if they would allow its free development. Few things could be better calculated to effect this than a return to the graceful and beautiful occupation of their female ancestors. There is at the present time much desire for this shown among the upper classes, and legitimate embroidery is again rapidly becoming a fashionable employment.