I just finished
reading “A History of Western Embroidery” by Mary Eirwen Jones, Watson-Guptill
Publications, 1696 ISBN # 289796555, 159 pages, 85 photographic images on plates, some color.
A very interesting easy to read book that covers European
embroidery from antiquity to modern day, with
most of the emphasis on medieval
and renaissance embroidery. She discusses different regions of Europe and addresses the evolution of
needlework in each area. I found
that there are specific references to the 12th century, but she generalizes often without giving a
start date for a technique or a
name, which was a bit frustrating.
There is only one 12th century embroidery shown besides the
red Holy Roman Empire mantle, a
border of tree of life design, worked in red on white (maybe applique – which she refers to as “Saracenic cut cloths later) of probable Sicilian
origin, in the Heinz E. Kiewe
Embroidery Collection in Oxford. I can post a scan of it if anyone is interested. I think the style looks
to be later though, but I am no
expert in the field.
Of special interest besides the embroidery terms are the
textile terms for different kinds
of patterns on silk, which I will be adding into the textile database I’m working on, as well as a near
contemporary quote about crusaders bringing back
fabrics from the middle east. I’ve
always just taken it on faith that this
happened, since it seems logical, but she writes:
“Matthew Paris (1200-1259) recorded how the crusaders pillaged rich materials after the Sack of Antioch in 1098. They pillaged to such a degree, says the chronicler, that they became fabulously rich overnight. When the thought of their sinful action weighed heavily on their minds, they sought absolution on their return to their native countries by presenting a part of the spoil to the church. Prominent among these donors was Louis XI (St Louis) of France who endowed the church of St Denis with rich embroideries.”
It would be
interesting to find the original statement!
I recommend the book for a nice overview of European
embroidery.
Katrine / Katherine Barich
Message #716, January 13, 2003
Scan
of the “Saracenic cut cloths” from the book
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/12thcenturygarb/files/Katrine%27s%20picks/sicilian%20embroidery%2050.jpg
If you’d like I have a larger and better resolution image
that I can email to you (1.6 megs)
~Katrine / Katherine Barich
Message #719, January 13, 2003