The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-04
Where Tapestry is Made.

tdrlS, france, March IL examined my
purse to see if there was enough in it tc
ouy Just little piece as souvenir
Guard" 1 said. show me the salesroom
where 1 can purchase some of this tapes
try The guard looked to see If, per-
chance, an aureolei of nobility lowered
about my brow, or If there was some VS.
BILE sign of Monte Cristo wealth about me.
Not perceiving either, he clamly replied
that there was no salesroom; that the
tapestry was made only by order Of the
state, and generally as presents for per-
sons of royal birth. \
had just come from Italy, where were
old tapestries, famous tapestries tapes.
tries that had been designed by artists
whose names have come down to posterity
as the greatest masters of their art. But
L had given there but passing interest 10
the old. and in many instances worn ant
faded tapestries. But here, looking through
the little opaning at the def fingers weav-
ing in the bright colors, a single thread a,
time, day, year, ay. ten years. until
the picture is finished, and then goes 70
adorn the wall of some palace or noble gal
lery, awakened my interest in the art !
was in the esta blshment of the Gobeiins
not the oldest only tapestry establish
r1ent, but yet the most famous and best
known in the modern world. II takes its
| name from 10 great prince or conqueror,
but from a lowly French dyer, who, four
and half centuries ago. had his little dye
ing shop on the spot where the Gobelins
now stads.
Tracing back the development of the ia
pestry and carpet weaving industry in
| France We VIII only go back as far as the
! days when Jehan and Giles Gobein dweIt
| on the outskirts of Paris and made dyes
! that surpassed all others in clearness Of
color and durability. And as their woods
| and silks were sought by all weavers and
| tapestry workers they became rich and
| started tapestry-shop Of their own. The;y
prosperity enlarged it and made fortunes
| ard at last ever married among the nobil;-
". And among this posterity was that IA
| nous, or infamous, Marchioness de Brin.
| viller, who poisoned friends and enemies
alike and decimated court and city to gain
| her ends. But Jehan Gobelin and his broth
er i'll his lifetime guarded well the secret
| of their dyes, TO all inquiries attributing
| the brilliancy CT the colors TO the waters
| Of the little Bievre that flowed past his
! door.
In time Paris grew and encroached upon
| the little stream with the chemical secret,
and its waters became so turbid and impure
| from vegetable refuse that TO it no longer
could the power of producing lustrous dyes
be attributed. Then chemistry was called
| in TO solve the mystery which Jehan Gobe-
| lin had declared dwelt in the shallow water.
Science was successful. It found that IL
was the mineral qualities the water posses
sed that produced the strong. lustrous
colors. and these minerals placed in other
he
1t was Louis XIV. who made state In
stitution of the Gobeln mandatory. and
sought far and near for the most skilled
tapestry weavers and workmen skilled in
all sorts of arts and trades, and who plac-
ed in the establishment sixty children to
be educated in the decorative arts. Tho
reason for the establishment of the manu-
factory as state institution kas TO pro-
vide hangings for the royal palaces, and
also to cultivate to their highest extent the
arts of embroidery, jewelry. mosaic, WOO,
carving and bronze work.
Many are the wonderful works of art ill
Italy, France, and. indeed all Europe that
have come from the looms of the Gobelins.
Did a great prince desire to show honor or
solicit the favor of an ambassador or ally,
he must straightway give him fine piece
of tapestry. Did king desire the friend
ship of king from another land, he must
send him a gorgeous piece of tapestry. Does
the French republic today wish to show
honor to a great man, then il presents him
with a piece of tapestry. Louis XIV. gave
away the fruit of the loom with a regal
hand at one time bestowing upon the Duke
of Lorraine hanging valued at about $50
coo. He gave the king of Siam, the Car
- %
and hanging of immense value.
These gorgeous presents sometimes con-
tanned a hidden string Of sarcasm. Such |
vas the case with that curious piece OF
tapestry warning people against high liv- |
ing. It was called the "Damnation of tn, |
Supper and the Banquet" and might be |
have with great propriety on walls where |
sumrtuous banquets are given today. The |
guests were Dinner, Supper, Banquet. Gay /
Company. Pastime, Gourmet, Epicure and |
I-Dink-to-You. Then there were the fol |
Pleurisy, Cole. and old |
Dame Experience. These, in turn, were |
followed by Remedy, Diet and Pills. Each /
figure is labeled, so that all may read the /
fable and its moral.
Almost every American is afmiliar with |
the general method of carpet weaving. and
those living in the country districts have
more than general knowledge of IL, es
pec;ally of rag-carpet making. The prepar-
ed warp the rags that have been cut into
strips from old garments and colored by
home made dyes and sewed into balls in
the long winter evening, the moving up,
and down OF the heavy treadle, the plain
stripe. the hit-and-miss. the finished car
pet. Tapestry weaving is on the same prin-
Il 4
chanism of the loom and in the manner Of
working. The carpet weaver weaves back
and forth in a straight line, taking his
shuttle clear across the loom a. once where
as the tapestry weaver takes but a stitch
At time, and can make no more than
few square inches a day. The carpet wea-
yer stands before MS work. the tapestry
weaver behind it. After the warp is fixed
IN the loom the weaver OF tapestry traces
On il in ink or chalk a copy OF his cartoon
Dr. design. Then from a great quantity CT
woods and silks OF all colors he takes out |
what he Will need for the day; the woods
md silks are wound or spindles which are
convenient for the tapestry worker 20 han
lie. He then begins his work from behind |
working on the wrong side: the model is
placed behind him and he must turn around
when he wishes TO lock at IT. lie also b.
,ins to weave from the bottom up. When
le desires TO see II his work looks right he
: obliged 10 leave his seat and 20 around |
ne loom. or. as 1 saw some OF them doing. |
escn a small mirror through the warp and
hts see a reflection OF the fabric.
The looms in use a. the Gobelins manu-
actory are what is called the high warp,
which differs materially IN the manner OF
orking from the low warp. The Savon-
.ArsA "a -rars --asa rhe. C.rhelirls