Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-29
Points About Tapestries.

Miss Flint explained the method of the
weaving of tapestries and the uses to
which they are put She then spoke OF
the beautiful wall hangings of Europe as
follows:
"These large hangings wer used both
for decoration and to protect the inhabl-
tants of the great medieval stone palaces
and dwellings from the biting cold OF
winter They we're hung against the
walls and around the doors to keep off
drafts They were even hung in tents of
monarchs and were carried by them
from camp to camp, and at times were
used to sleep on. They decorated both
houses and churches. On gala and feast
DAYS the streets were hung with them.
the iron pins which held them, can still
be seen in the walls of the houses If
people were not fortunate enough to own
them, they could be hired for such occa-
sions. They were made principally of
wool with smaller quantities of silk and
even silver and gold. They were origi-
naly made in the north, in northern
! France and Belgium. or Flanders, at
| that time, the 18th century, part of the
| kingdom of France, From these coun-
| tries the industry spread later to Ger
many. Italy, England, Spain and Rus
! STA, and finally to America, but in all of
| these cases weayers from France and
| Flanders We're imported to introduce the
! industry"
Miss Flint continued as follows:-
| "rhe great difference between the typi-
| cal Renaissance tapestries and the Comic
| onessea are that first, in the Renaissance
| an attempt was made to do away with
! anachronisms. the classic heroes whose
| deeds formed such favorite subjects for
| tapestries We're clothed IN classic STYLE,
| and, although the landscapes of north
! ern Europe and its fora were copied. the
| buildings were so-cal!ed classic. With
| this change we lose the naive charm OF
the early pieces and much valuable in
formation concerning the life, habits and
| manners of the times. The second diff
! ference is seen in the increased width
of tie borders and the use of fruit. flow
| ers and even figures and landscapes n
them. Thirdly, the old simple, fiat rem
derng of the design is replaced by shad
ing. which becomes more and more
elaborate as time goes on. until we have
| woven easel pictures rather than fiat
mural decorations. This is the begin
ming Of the decadence, although IL was
many years before it arrived, and guam
titles of beautiful tapestries We're wover
in the interim. With the picture-iikt
tapestry came the border made in ini-
tation of carved and gilded frames. The
colors also changed, Their being much
light neutral brown andg rayish brown
used and great range of colors ant
tones. The more delicates hades fade
1 al lat date fQf
eolors of these tapestries have been much
more affected by time than the earlier
ones. In 1873 a law was passed which
obliged all Brussels weavers to sign then
| work with shield and two rs for Brus-
sells. Brabant and the initials or marx
of the maker The battle of the Ticinus
and the conference between Scipio ans
! Hannibal and the two tapestries Illus
trating scenes in the life of Achilles are
marked in this way. This law was
passed to prevent frauds, Brussels tapes
tries being the most in demand at the
| time
las the industry in Brussels decrned
the Gobelins factory in Paris grew III I'M
portance and today its fame is so great
that the common German word for tap
estry is Gobelins. Unfortunately with
| more colors, thousands of shades in TIE
place of 10 to % in the early times, has
come disregard of the rules that gov
ern the making of good tapestries. 1t is
therefore with pleasure that one learns
that an attempt is being made in New
York and at the .Gobelins factory to re-
| duee the number of colors used and e
return to the early methods by which
| such wonderful hangings We're made. :
| Boston Transcript.