The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-06-12
aoRFlIN TAPESTRY OF PARIS
Expert Workn.en Able TO weave
Only a Single Yard In year

In one OF the oluer quai
Gent Paris, where comparatively rev
of the thousands of tourists ever tnihh
Of penetrating, is one OF the most IN
teresting sights that the great ei'y
contains, 1t is Gobeln, an institution
famous in every corner of the ART Woriu
for its tapestries, Centuries ago III was
famous and its fame will endure as
LONG as the world lasts. y picturesque
group of buildings forms the nome Oh
This indpstry-old-tim structures that
have passed through many bioou-reu
neriods in the turbulent history OF
Paris. Revolutions and riots nave
passed all around without soaring
them. Kings, emperors, demagogueS
and presidents have arisen and falien'
but the weavers of Gobelin had niue
thought of anything but the art
handed down by their forefathers.
Tapestry weaving is heritage with
nine-tenths of the workmen in the MS
toric place. Many of them are direct
descendants of the first Flemish weav-
ers brought to Paris by Henry ~. IN
the last years of the sixteenth century
Each generation teaches its sons the
art and the admission of an outsider
as weaver is jealousy guarded
against. Indeed, it is just as difheult
for the enterprising Paris youth TO push
his way into the ranks of the Gobeiin
vorlfmen as it Is for the great men 10
crowd into the ranks of the immortals.
These weavers are an independent
lot and they were at the first, when
the great Henry had to almost get on
his knees to induce them to settle IN
Paris. But the concessions offered by
that astute monarch have been fully
repaid, as since then Paris has been the
center of the world as far as tapestry
weaving is concerned.
As a bait to bring the Gobelins TO
Paris Henry ". offered to make them
noblemen and members OF the king S
household. In addition to this it was
| agreed that they were to be free from
tax and also relieved of the common
expense of having troops quartered
upon them Moreover, the importation
of Flemish weavings, which might COM
pete with their products, was prohib'
tied, and for all time the factory was TO
be under the protection of the state.
This satisfied the GobeliEs, but when
the institution was at last started in
Paris new difficulty arose which
threatened to upset all the fine plans
of the art-loving king. The Flemish
weavers and artists did not fancy the
wines of France. and declared that un-
less they could have their accustomed
pots of beer they would leave Paris
So, to please the workmen, Flemish
| breweries were established and beer
was furnished to them free of tax. The
particular Gobelin who was at the head
of the concern at this time was named
Jean or Jehan. He was not weaver
but DIVER. In fact, none of the CODE
Inns ever sat at loom. They wer'
Overs by trade from time immemorial
and this Jehan Gobelin was the creates
DIVER of them ALL 1t was he who pre-
pared the wonderful blues and red
which have made the Gobelin tapes
tries famous.
Modern dyers have never reached tn
degree of perfection which he attained
particularly in red or scarlet colors
And about this scarlet dye hangs
tale of tragedy and superstition. Thi
Jehan was so proud of his scarlet dy
that he one day exclaimed that not eve
the devil himself could surpass him a
dyeing scarlet. Soon after this he wen
to one of the wells in the factory ant
never returned. Very probably he fel
into the we'll and was drowned, but III
superstitious folk declared that tn
devil had carried him off to make hi
famous scarlet dye in the internal re
gions. At any rate, that was the earth
" end of the great ,Iehan Gobelin, bu
the institution lie founded promises I
> live for all time.
The few apprentices who succeed i
gaining admission to the factory now
adays know that it will be many year
before they are recognized as weaver
of the first class. The newcomer is al
prenticed for two years, but 1t require
| seven or elgnU years 10 lully Hdsbe
the many intricacies of the art. An ar
school is attached to the factory, wher
the pupils study from antiques an
from life models. Flower painting
one of the specialties taught, and as
result of this schooling every weave
in the place is something of an arts
ManX of them have made reputation
as artists and have given up their place
in the factory to follow the more re
munerative calling.
Many of the weavers, after workin
for five or six years, receive only $25
: a year. The artist weavers receive 500
year and the foreman weavers re
a ceive from $500 TO 81 900 year. Thes
{ latter have the actual charge of tn
d work being done, position of much II
$ sponsibility, as a small error might 81
riously mar the work Of years.-Ch
D cago Chronicle.
@ Wells IA Barsmeters.
o Facts were presented at a recer