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ENGLISH DOMESTIC OF THE XVI, XVII, AND XVIII CENTURIES

4 Loan Exhibition November 5- December 2,1945

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

FIFTH AVENUE AND 82 STREET, NEW YORK ENGLISH DOMESTIC NEEDLEWORK OF THE XVI, XVII, AND XVIII CENTURIES

The present loan exhibition of English domestic covers, table carpets, and wall and hangings needlework is the first major show of its kind -among the most important types of Elizabethan ever held in this country, and it comprises some that have come down to us-are well two hundred and fifty distinguished items from represented. A unique pair of cushion covers with American and English collections. The embroi- scenesof the Sacrifice of Isaac and the Judgment deries thus assembled range in date from the of Solomon, lent from Hardwick Hall by the middle of the sixteenth century to the end of Duke of Devonshire, are of great historical as the eighteenth and include a great diversity of well as artistic interest. They are described in an types and objects. Costumes and costume acces- inventory (i 6o i) of the effects of the duke's sories, bookbindings, cushions and pillows, bed ancestress, Bess of Hardwick, one of the most hangings and coverlets, carpets, wall hangings, celebrated characters of her day. Her fourth hus- table covers, pictures, boxes, baskets,and samplers band, the Earl of Shrewsbury, was for nearly Mary, Queen are represented by numerous interesting exam- twenty years the custodian of of Scots, lived Shrewsburys ples. enriched with needlework may who with the at Hard- Both be seen in such varied forms as chairs, tables, wick. the queen and the countess were mirrors, sconces,and screens. A small collection indefatigable needleworkers and the house still of contemporary books with engraved designs of contains numerous examples of embroidery dating day. One the sort which served as inspiration for the Eng- from their of the finest sixteenth- lish needleworker is also shown. century pillow covers in existence, worked in The exhibition is installed in the three gal- black on in the manner known at the leries known as D6 and two adjoining galleries, time as "black work, " is lent by Sir John Carew J8 and J 9. In a general way it is arranged Pole, to whose family it has always belonged. chronologically so that the visitor will first come Table carpets are among the most prized sur- Elizabethan upon the work of the period and, vivals of Elizabethan needlework, and that lent proceeding through the exhibition, arrive even- by the Victoria and Albert Museum is one of the Queen tually among the of the finest. Surrounding a field with a design of grapes Anne Georgian But and eras. the varied char- on a trellis is a wide scenic border in which ladies it acter of the material made necessarynow and and gentlemen are shown walking near a great then to depart from hard fast a and chronological country house while various hunting episodes in the interest the arrangement of appearance of appear in the distance. The entire carpet is in the galleries. a remarkable state of preservation and vibrant SIXTEENTH CENTURY with its original brilliance of color. Elizabethan needlework is understandably rare Embroidered wall hangings of the Elizabethan in comparison with that of later date, but the era are exceedingly rare, and that lent by Mr. L. Franklin exhibition nevertheless includes many notable Ernest is the only one of its examples of this period. Cushion and pillow type known. It is of size, worked on EIGHTEENTH CENTURY canvas entirely in petit point, and depicts a meet- ing between a group of richly dressed ladies and English embroidery of the eighteenth century several gentlemen on horseback. Bed hangings, is represented in the exhibition by a wealth of especially the pictorial valances which hung from colorful and luxurious examples. There are, for the tester, have survived in limited numbers. instance, several of the finest embroidered bed Judge Irwin Untermyer has lent two of the best, coverlets in existence, including the superb cov- one with scenes from the tragic story of Philo- erlet and matching pillows of worked in silk mela, the other representing various rural activi- and silver-gilt thread which was given as a wed- ties, fishing, hunting, and so forth. The Museum's ding present in 1720 to Sir John and Lady own hanging from Treago, Herefordshire, with Dolben and is now one of the treasures of the its applied floral designs, is one of the finest of Victoria and Albert Museum. Another fine exam- this period. ple is lent by Her Majesty Queen Mary. An SEVENTEENTH CENTURY attractive phase of eighteenth-century needlework was the embroidered carpet, usually The for passion embroidering continued un- worked in cross-stitch on canvas in floral designs into abated the seventeenth century with no in gay natural colors. The exhibition includes in it is frequently abrupt change style, so that several of these carpets, among which that lent by difficult to say whether an embroidery was made the Marquess of Salisbury from Hatfield House is in late Elizabethan Jacobean the or the early perhaps the finest known. Within transitional fall era. this period several The lover of costumes will be delighted with be groups of costume accessorieswhich should of such items as the fabulous Queen Anne waistcoat interest designers. Among them considerable to of quilted linen embroidered in colored and are men's and women's caps and gloves, and an silver-gilt thread recently acquired by the Metro- intriguing little bags in collection of such perfect politan Museum and the superb Georgian dress have been condition that they must carefully lent by the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both from beginning. treasured the very are unsurpassed in their way. To interest the But the the most appealing contribution of furniture collector there are numerous fine chairs is probably the needlework picture which 'century with needlework coverings as well as card tables, began to be in the reign Charles I popular of sconces, and screens in the decoration of which (1625-1649). The exhibition contains some sixty embroidery has played its part. high seventeenth-century pictures of quality and In this brief description it has, of course, only Many from the varied subjects. are collections been possible to touch upon a few of the high judge Untermyer Mrs. Myron Taylor, of and spots of the exhibition. Upon visiting the galleries, both in interesting of which are very rich this the visitor will find many objects to interest him English If pictorial phase of embroidery. atten- which it has not been possible to mention here. tion is to be called to any one of them, it should probably be the unique picture entitled A Musical The Museum owes special debts of gratitude Party, which both technically and artistically is to judge Untermyer for lending well over a one of the finest achievements in the realm of hundred embroideries from his noted collection, English needlework. Some of the pictures are in thereby encouraging the Museum to undertake the fantastic technique known as , a the exhibition; to the Earl of Halifax and mem- kind of embroidery in relief which may also be bers of the staff of the British Embassy in Wash- seen in the exhibition on such varied objects as ington, especially Mr. David Daiches, for their boxes, glove cases, baskets, and mirrors. untiring aid in procuring important loans from The seventeenth century also produced many England; and to Mr. Leigh Ashton, the Director beautiful embroidered bookbindings, and a col- of the Victoria and Albert Museum, for recom- lection of distinguished examples, many of them mending generous loans from his museum and lent by judge Untermyer and by the Pierpont agreeing to oversee the packing and shipping of Morgan Library, is here to delight the bibliophile. all the objects lent from English collections. T. fF "ý ^i' N. 1 /'-'Z. ri . {h'C' ,%ý NOV J iý ýý- ENGLISH LENDERS Her Majesty Queen Mary The Lord Sackville / 9ýZ5 The Duke of Devonshire Sir John Carew Pole, Bt. The Marquess of Salisbury Ernest L. Franklin The Viscountess Esher The Victoria and Albert Museum

AMERICAN LENDERS J. P. Argenti Mrs. Brooks Howe Mme Jacques Balsan Mrs. Lytle Hull James W. Barney Mrs. Myron Taylor Mrs. J. Insley Blair Judge Irwin Untermyer

Mr. and Mrs. DeWitt Clinton Cohen Mr. and Mrs. George D. Widener Mrs. Edsel B. Ford The Folger ShakespeareLibrary Mrs. Edgar J. Hesslein The Pierpont Morgan Library

Embroideries belonging to the Metropolitan Museum are also shown

LECTURES AND GALLERY TALKS RELATING TO THE EXHIBITION

Lectures on Sundays at 3: 30 p. m. in the Lecture Hall:

Nov. 4 THE SPIRIT OF THE XVIII CENTURY, by William P. Harbeson, Professor of English, University of Pennsylvania

zt ENGLISH EMBROIDERIES FROM HENRY VIII TO DUTCH WILLIAM, by Leigh Ashton, Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

z8 ENGLISH EMBROIDERIES OF THE GEORGIAN PERIOD, by Leigh Ashton

25 MUSIC IN THE ENGLISH HOME FROM THE XVI THROUGH THE XVIII CENTURY, by Beatrice Farwell, with a Program of Madrigals by The Randolph Singers

Two Gallery Talks will be given in the exhibition galleries on Wednesdays Charge November z¢ and 28 at 3 p. m., by Marion P. Bolles, Assistant Curator in of the Study Room

English Domestic Embroidery, a picture book with seventy halftone plates is on sale at the Information Desk. Price $1.50