The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-06-08
a J |]I SCHOOL
1AT CONSTAhTIN0PLE.
signs Produced Proclaim at
q Glance Their Classic
Origin.
kEEK FINGERS skILLFuL
though But Few Years Since the
Royal School of Embroiderers Was
"A Founded Il is Now Widely
Celebrated.
From the Century Magazine

- FROM lne Century .NuSlElne.
STrOm the dust and glare of the windy
raenian streets we passed into quiet
i xarter close to the National museum.
sere a wide white building housed /,
\ Gnd-ed and more Athenian children.
owing girls and young women who
Sire workers In the Royal School of
"a snbroideries,
Once the house door was opened, the
YIN and buzz of many voices greeted
e ear. Amazingly wide-eyed, eager
Il sped, and clever-teatured were many
u those Greek faces. Both the coloring
ii IA the facial type proclaimed their
II feco-Oriental origin. The white
n yroned neatness. the decorous demean-
II !. as we'll AS the expressive grave
Il lace in posture and gesture of the
@uthful shapes seated about The wood
u frames and of our detached figures
8Vlose to open windows. made groups fall
Il charm and interest to western eyes.
SsloM wide, lustrous eyes pouted SEN
AysOus Attic mouths. replicas of the
Y.IESSrfect curves or which one may fiTd
Il the Parian marbles of 1000 years ago.
HssSSw safely housed in the museums OF
4 sSthens. One may see. also, the same
4 sildly set, large eyes IN certain frescoes
4 gently discovered In Egyptian tombs
4 al Greek colonists OF the first and sec
I end centuries.
4 & When we turned from the faces to the
GSS1ork over which the nimble fingers
Mere flying. our interest suffered no
batement. Greek fingers have not
list their skill. In and out of the
rser@c6t tons. well as the most
eltcate batiste, the shining needles flew
Z 3s though every embroiderer had been
Torn with a needle between thumb and
SSSnSer. Here was Il whole roomful of
hitdren and young growing girls whose
kill and ease in their work were no
.ss astonishing than were those of the
lore mature young women, whose own
Mlnbrotderies had sharpness of edge
II chat was remarkable.
IsM Lady Egerton, Russian by birth,
sAlle wife OF the English minister at the
Ss0urt of King George, took an interest
| IN the school. and for the benefit of The
gSSOrkers undertook a systematic study
4 Esf classic designs. of lost or forgotten
bitches, Of antique lace, and Of the
D AnOdern art Of lace making. She went
20 ConstantinOple to study Byzantine
@nOdels; she became an humble pupil
d the school OF lace workers In Venice:
4he made the tour of the Greek islands
$50 learn what secrets In designs and in
:olOrs had been transmitted, by long in
Slerited skill. among the Greek women.
Etn her Athenlan drawing room. as well
4saA on the decks of crowded and
eScramped Greek steamers. Lady Egerton
sdTesss.. ched read or let her shining
needles fly over. the stuffed cushions
@Whereon her lace lay. Hers was the un-
4ywearied energy Of the true artist. Such
aenthusiasm worked the usual miracle.
Everybody connected with the school
SSbecame Xitalized with new power and
(@capacity. King George provided the
Moulding and furniture.
Embroidered silks, linens, cottons or
battstes, proclaim at glance their
classic origin. Many. indeed. We're
strangely familiar. Where had one seen
yonder Byzantine design-those admir-
4nbly conventiOnalized springing Loop
yards Surely never before on coarse
y hOmespun shaped to cover lady's
&bouioii pillow. out Of the quiet halls
~ sstatue-croWded museums. from the
4frtaxe of roofless temples, from glass
4 incased precious Greek vases. from the
= snoisuments OF the Athepians Ceramicus
4 family. and then more and more clearly
Game remembered shapes. forms. de-
y signs, traceries and architectural orna-
B Tnentations On the linens and silks
b that lay stretched on wooden frames
4 or that were held upon the stiff fore
tlnEsr, hundreds OF such forms.
8ffAceries and ornaments have been In
geni0uslys adapted to an many modern
purpoEes.
The directors of the school draw The
odels for the work executed. of what
i eyer nature. or for Whatever purpose,
from pure Hellenic. Byzantine or Per-
eian desig ns from every antique source
sskhat has. Indeed, contributed to the his
TORY ~ Greek art. Etruscan and In
!2n,lmerable Greek vases Of every great
period have been infinitely studied. The
Iamonuments in Athentan and other
Greek burying grounds have been
copied ant. adapted Intricate Persian
aaj1d Saracentc traceries have contrib.
snted their vast variety Of forms tc
h modern artistic unitarian or orna.
n tnanta1 purposes.
Few as have been the years since the
NJ Royal School OF EmbrOideries began Its
ext6tence. it's handicraft has already
u lined wide celebrity. To Paris. to
London. and through these great ar
isteries, to all the modern luxurious
world of women. 30 draperies. embroid-
sfed strips for blousea. tea-gowns. tea
cloths. scarfs. collars. ties. and orna-
4 mental pillow cases executed by these
snimble Greek fingers.