Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-11-11
TAPESTRY WEAVING.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT A
FRENCH INDUSTRY.
How the GobeIins Products Are
Made-Cebebrated Paintings Re
produced In the Tapestries
Private Manufacturers

. of the United States, aud is only
another evidence of the development OF
the American taste for high art. In re-
spouse to inquiries from persons inter
ested in this fascinating subject, the
State Department some time since re-
uuested United States Consul-General
Adam f. King, of Paris, to gather such
information as was accessible concerning
the manufacture of tapestries in France,
asking notably about the Go5eins, an
establishment in Paris belonging to the
French Government, and devoted to the
production of tapestries and carpets.
The Gobelins are the largest and most
important manufacturers not only in
France, but in the entire world. Their
place is situated in Avenue des Gobelins,
and dates its establishment from the
early part of the fifteenth century, when
two brothers, Jehan and GILES Gobelin,
discovered an improvement in scarlet
dive which soon rose into great repute.
After more than fifty years the plant was
bought in 1862 by Louis XIV.
The National mandatory of tie Gobe-
Inns is now divided into three distinct
seclions-the dye shops, tapestry shops
and carpet work shops. The dye shops,
or works, produce not only every kind
of color, but twenty to thirty different
shades of each. While many OF the
hangings worked fifty years ago are
already faded, the factory is now able to
produce any color perfectly fast. This
great success is due to the labors OF the
eminent chemist, Chevreuil, who was
employed by the Government to instruct
the Gobelins dyers. Large rooms are
devoted to the high warps, upon which
the tapestries are suspended as the work
goes Cd, and some idea Of the exquisite
nature and delicate character OF the
work may be gained from the fact that
N artist cannot produce in one year more
chan one-fourth of square yard.
The method of manufacturing tapes
,ries is as follows: The design is first
painted in oil colors of the tapestry to
De manufactured, after which second
,se, but of natural size, is painted, per-
aitting to distinguish, besides the exact
size, the colors and gradations of the
future tapestry. The design is then
traced on the back OF the warp with
pencils. The coloIs, or weits, are then
dyed, prepared and assorted, and are
wound separately on spoulin made OF
lockwood, and shaped like a canoe
mans paddle, that has blade at both
ends.
The warp hangs from a horizontal
cylinder, and as every yard is completed
it is wound upon another cylinder in the
lower part of the frame. The artist
stands behind the tapestry, and with his
worsteds and silks at hand, begins to
work IN the different colors over the
ground marked with the tracings OF the
picture TO be woven. The number of
colors entering into tapestry necessarily
influences the quality, as upon the same
warp fifty different patterns may be
manufactured, according to the number
of colors employed. The subjects that
the tapestries represent also influence
their value, ordinary shaded green land
:capes, for example, costing much less
than portraits requiring variety Of
colors.
The vertical threads of { y warp are
divided by little tool called heddle,
which keeps half of them in advance OF
the rest, but those behind can be brought
forward whenever required by means of
small cords, one of which is attached to
zach warp thread. The left hand is in-
troduced between the two sets Of thread,
taking up as many as need be, and
through these the needle is passed from
left to right. The thread when stretched
is piled with the pointed needle, aud is
then passed back in the contrary direc-
ton through the space opened by shift
ing the position of the front and back
threads; BY ingeniously combining the
woofs, the colors are made to blend per-
fectly, aud effects are obtained like those
of paintings.
The characteristics of the Gobelius
tapestries are especially large historical
scenes, reproductions from celebrated
paintings, etc. The Gobelins carpet de-
partment weaves velvet carpets, in which
historical and NEUROLOGICAL subjects are
reproduced. These carpets are manufac-
tured in the same way as velvets, that is,
the wefts, after having been woven into
warps, are sheared upon the face OF the
tissue facing the artist by measurement to
a given length, to give more or less thick
ness to the velvet effects. The warps are
disposed in the same manner as for the
manufacture of tapestries, but the artists
work with the face of the tissues facing
them, while, as previously shown, it is
the reverse in the manufacturing Of
tapestries. The carpets are remarkable
for smoothneSs, evenness of texture, their
strength and fineness exceeding even the
Persian in this respect. Some of them
require from five to ten years for their
completion, and cost $12, 900 to $40. 900.
All these carpets made during the reign