The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-02
TAPESTRY
Made Here
in THREE YEARS.

/ woman of this nineteenth century
with tapestry making; neverthe-
less, Mrs. c. H. Webb of this city
can show as the result Of industry
and talent, which, by the way, is or no
mean order, a piece Of tapestry that
has been pronounced perfect WORK
of it's kind by no less an artist imam
the late Marsden Brooks, who spoke
from the knowledge of one familiar
with tapestries of the Old World
The subject which this piece of Cali
fornia manufacture shows Is the
Morning of the Chase and print
from Sir Edwin Landseer's famous
painting, bought by the Marquis or
Hastings, served as copy for details
and figures.
The coloring is entirely the selection
of this artist in woods, and her skill as
a colorist is attested by the melloWeo
tints and deepened shadows shown IN
the front wall of Haddon Hall. which
for a thousand years has been the
show place of Leeds.
Stone itself could not look more cold
ly gray than the reproduction Of that
lower step upon which so firmly rests
the russell buskin of the lord of the
castle. and which the tourist at our
side mentions is at the present day
worn down to a thickness-or thin
ness-of three inches by the feet of the
curious who have crossed 1t for cen
turtles; for the main entrance is depict
ed, and above the Intel the escutch-
con shows as clearly cut as though
fresh from the stone mason's hands.
Unlike an oil painting, there could be
no retouching, no covering up OF mis-
takes, and the linen canvas foundation
of the tapestry bears very little tam
pering with, so far as picking out"
stitches is concerned; yet in spite of the
extreme difficulty with which this work
was performed, the expressions, attl-
tudes and dress material OF the seven
personages interested in the contem-
plated sport could not more nearly ap-
proach our conception of the original
subjects.
The placid look of the golden-haired
mistress of the castle, who stands upon
the broad step beside her dark lord,
and the leer of the jester just doft1ng
his hat, and doubtless INDUCING in
some pleasantly, attract and hold the
attention; while one reads in the coy
and downcast glance of the maiden
seated upon the gray hunter that the
handsome cavalier at her left, whose
eyes dwell admiringly upon her face,
has been murmuring some compliment,
or possibly reminding her Of newly
plighted troth, and the assiduous at
tention of the footman, in plush livery,
given to the stirrup of the lady on the
bay mount, assures us that under the
eyes of his master there will be no
neglect of duty.
The longer one gaZes at the scene the
deeper grows the wonder that deftness
of fingers and an adjustment OF col
ored woods could instantly fmpart to
the mind Of the beholder the fact that
the lady's green gown, as well as her
10 Il h1ef Of q
that the material of her red bodice and
petticoat is satin, or show the flesh
tints of the maiden'S plump right arm
through the lace frill of her sleeve.
In the hand showing beneath this
fril she gracefully holds slender
whip, which throws a tiny shadow
upon her horses gray side. while the
left wrist sustains her falcon-a sulky
bird-Whose three hooded companions
are still chained to their bench.
more accurate expression Of pro-
testation than that which the red and
white retriever shows, at being COM
PEELED to submit to the adjustment of
his collar by the falconer could not
we'll be portrayed; and one fancies the
head of the little bay, in whose eyes is
a look of wild surprise, dropping lower
and lower as it intently watches the
rebellious creature, which has cast it
self, with paws OutStretched, upon the
flags of the court.
II found the greatest difficulty in
giving the desired effect to the hollow
Of the falconer's horn" said Mrs. Webb,
when the perfect details Of that instru-
ment for recalling the servitor's
charges was remarked, for 1t is one of
the objects in the picture which claims
attention as 1t lies-the great flare out
mathematical by it's scarlet cord, be-
side the owners hat and gloves, thrown
hastily upon the frame.
THAT the effect, which my old friend
was kind enough to style perfect, could
only have been attained by observing
details is proven by the fact that in
the foliage about the castle, the ivy
upon the wall and that in the distance,
which defines the course Of the river