Chinese textiles

Fragment of a hanging or cover
China, mid 19th century.
Silk, peacock feathers, metallic wrapped yarn.
The Textile Museum 51.30

I tend to usually be drawing to more contemporary art as well as art by known artists. Textiles is an area I am not very familiar with but whenever I come across supreme examples of them I am blown away. Techniques are also fascinating. This textile was created in China before the invention of synthetic dyes. Green, at this time, was incredibly hard to produce because while it occurs in nature, it never occurs as a steadfast dye. In order to create the green one needed to dye the fabric twice.

In this piece, instead of dye, peacock feathers were wrapped around silk threads. Not surprisingly, this was quite a task and was reserved for only special occasions. "Dating from the mid-19th century, this piece was likely part of a lavish hanging or cover used for Buddhist ritual. The colorful design depicts the “eight precious things” of the Buddhist faith: double fish, canopy, endless knot, lotus, vase, conch, umbrella, and the wheel of law." Textile Museum

Penelope

Penelope Unraveling her Work at Night, 1886
Dora Wheeler (American, 1856–1940) for Associated Artists (New York City, 1883–1907)
Silk embroidered with silk thread
45 x 68 in.
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Daughter of Candace Wheeler, who founded, among many other accomplishments, Associated Artists, a women-run decorating/design firm. Candace Wheeler also patented the technique of embroidery seen in this work. Dora created this design and others, but this is one of the few which has not completely disintegrated.

Dora studied with the painter, William Merritt Chase (painter of the portrait of Dora Wheeler to the right). You can see the brilliance of Wheeler's experience with painting as she applies it to the painterliness of the silk embroidery.


Dora Wheeler, 1882-83
William Merritt Chase
Cleveland Museum of Art