The Art of Needle-work, from the Earliest Ages Part 13

In the year 1667 this place, till then called "Gobelines' Folly,"

changed its name into that of "Hotel Royal des Gobelins," in consequence of an edict of Louis XIV. M. Colbert having re-established, and with new magnificence enriched and completed the king's palaces, particularly the Louvre and the Tuilleries, began to think of making furniture suitable to the grandeur of those buildings; with this view he called together all the ablest workmen in the divers arts and manufactures throughout the kingdom; particularly painters, tapestry makers from Flanders, sculptors, goldsmiths, ebonists, &c., and by liberal encouragement and splendid pensions called others from foreign nations.

The king purchased the Gobelins for them to work in, and laws and articles were drawn up, amongst which is one that no other tapestry work shall be imported from any other country.

Nor did there need; for the Gobelins has ever since remained the first manufactory of this kind in the world. The quant.i.ty of the finest and n.o.blest works that have been produced by it, and the number of the best workmen bred up therein are incredible; and the present flourishing condition of the arts and manufactures of France is, in great measure, owing thereto.

Tapestry work in particular is their glory. During the superintendence of M. Colbert, and his successor M. de Louvois, the making of tapestry is said to have been practised to the highest degree of perfection.

The celebrated painter, Le Brun, was appointed chief director, and from his designs were woven magnificent hangings of Alexander's Battles--The Four Seasons--the Four Elements--and a series of the princ.i.p.al actions of the life of Louis XIV. M. de Louvois, during his administration, caused tapestries to be made after the most beautiful originals in the king's cabinet, after Raphael and Julio Romano, and other celebrated Italian painters. Not the least interesting part of the process was that performed by the _rentrayeurs_, or fine-drawers, who so unite the breadths of the tapestry into one picture that no seam is discernible, but the whole appears like one design. The French have had other considerable manufactories at Auvergne, Felletin and Beauvais, but all sank beneath the superiority of the Gobelins, which indeed at one time outvied the renown of that far-famed town, whose productions gave a t.i.tle to the whole species, viz., that of Arras.

Walpole gives an intimation of the introduction of tapestry weaving into England, so early as the reign of Edward III., "De inquirendo de mystera Tapiciorum, London;" but usually William Sheldon, Esq., is considered the introducer of it, and he allowed an artist, named Robert Hicks, the use of his manor-house at Burcheston, in Warwickshire; and in his will, dated 1570, he calls Hicks "the only auter and beginner of tapistry and arras within this realm." At his house were four maps of Oxford, Worcester, Warwick, and Gloucestershires, executed in tapestry on a large scale, fragments of which are or were among the curiosities of Strawberry-hill. We meet with little further notice of this establishment.

This beautiful art was, however, revived in the reign of James I., and carried to great perfection under the patronage of himself and his martyr son. It received its death blow in common with other equally beautiful and more important pursuits during the triumph of the Commonwealth. James gave 2000 to a.s.sist Sir Francis Crane in the establishment of the manufactory at Mortlake, in Surry, which was commenced in the year 1619. Towards the end of this reign, Francis Cleyn, or Klein, a native of Rostock, in the duchy of Mecklenburg, was employed in forming designs for this inst.i.tution, which had already attained great perfection. Charles allowed him 100 a year, as appears from Rymer's Foedera: "Know ye that we do give and grant unto Francis Cleyne a certain annuitie of one hundred pounds, by the year, during his natural life." He enjoyed this salary till the civil war, and was in such favour with the king, and in such reputation, that on a small painting of him he is described as "Il famosissimo pittore Francesco Cleyn, miracolo del secolo, e molto stimato del re Carlo della gran Britania, 1646."

The Tapestry Manufacture at Mortlake was indeed a hobby, both of King James and Prince Charles, and of consequence was patronised by the Court. During Charles the First's romantic expedition to Spain, when Prince of Wales, with the Duke of Buckingham, James writes--"I have settled with Sir Francis Crane for my Steenie's business, and I am this day to speak with Fotherby, and by my next, Steenie shall have an account both of his business, and of Kit's preferment and supply in means; but Sir Francis Crane desires to know if my Baby will have him to hasten the making of that suit of Tapestry that he commanded him."[82]

The most superb hangings were wrought here after the designs of distinguished painters; and Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Whitehall, St. James's, Nonsuch, Greenwich, and other royal seats, and many n.o.ble mansions were enriched and adorned by its productions. In the first year of his reign, Charles was indebted 6000 to the establishment for three suits of gold tapestry; Five of the Cartoons were wrought here, and sent to Hampton Court, where they still remain. A suit of hangings, representing the Five Senses, executed here, was in the palace at Oatlands, and was sold in 1649 for 270. Rubens sketched eight pieces in Charles the First's reign for tapestry, to be woven here, of the history of Achilles, intended for one of the royal palaces. At Lord Ilchester's, at Redlinch, in Somersetshire, was a suit of hangings representing the twelve months in compartments; and there are several other sets of the same design. Williams, Archbishop of York, and Lord Keeper, paid Sir Francis Crane 2500 for the Four Seasons. At Knowl, in Kent, was a piece of the same tapestry wrought in silk, containing the portraits of Vandyck, and St. Francis himself.

At Lord Shrewsbury's (Hoythorp, Oxfordshire) are, or were, four pieces of tapestry from designs by Vanderborght, representing the four quarters of the world, expressed by a.s.semblages of the nations in various habits and employments, excepting Europe, which is in masquerade, wrought in chiaroscuro. And at Houghton (Lord Oxford's seat) were beautiful hangings containing whole lengths of King James, King Charles, their Queens, and the King of Denmark, with heads of the Royal Children in the borders. These are all mentioned incidentally as the production of the Mortlake establishment.

After the death of Sir Francis Crane, his brother Sir Richard sold the premises to Charles I. During the civil wars, this work was seized as the property of the Crown; and though, after the Restoration, Charles II. endeavoured to revive the manufacture, and sent Verrio to sketch the designs, his intention was not carried into effect. The work, though languishing, was not altogether extinct; for in Mr. Evelyn's very scarce tract int.i.tuled "Mundus Muliebris," printed in 1690, some of this manufacture is amongst the articles to be furnished by a gallant to his mistress.

One of the first acts of the Protectorate after the death of the king, was to dispose of the pictures, statues, tapestry hangings, and other splendid ornaments of the royal palaces. Cardinal Mazarine enriched himself with much of this royal plunder; and some of the splendid tapestry was purchased by the Archduke Leopold. This however found its way again to England, being repurchased at Brussels for 3000 by Frederick, Prince of Wales, father of George III.

In 1663 "two well-intended statutes" were made: one for the encouragement of the linen and _tapestry manufactures_ of England, and discouragement of the importation of foreign tapestry:--and the other--start not, fair reader--the other "for regulating the packing of herrings."[83]

FOOTNOTES:

[75] See Smith's History of the Ancient Palace of Westminster.

[76] But not from them would be derived the art of painting with the needle the representation of the human figure. Hence, perhaps, the awkward and ungainly aspect of these, in comparison with the arabesque patterns. From a fear of its exciting a tendency to idolatry Mohammed prohibited his followers from delineating the form of men or animals in their pictorial embellishments of whatever sort.

[77] Von Raumer's Contributions, 297.

[78] Sully's Memoirs. We have, in a subsequent chapter, a more full account of this Tapestry.

[79] Gent's Mag., 1830.

[80] Sully's Memoirs, vol. ii.

[81] Sully's Memoirs, vol. iii.

[82] Miscellaneous State Papers, vol. i. No. 26.

[83] "The rich tapestry and arras hangings which belonged to St.

James's Palace, Hampton Court, Whitehall, and other Royal Seats, were purchased for Cromwell: these were inventoried at a sum not exceeding 30,000. One piece of eight parts at Hampton Court was appraised at 8,260: this related to the History of Abraham. Another of ten parts, representing the History of Julius Caesar, was appraised at 5019."

CHAPTER XII.

ROMANCES WORKED IN TAPESTRY.

"And storied loves of knights and courtly dames, Pageants and triumphs, tournaments and games."

Rose's Partenopex.

It has been a favourite practice of all antiquity to work with the needle representations of those subjects in which the imagination and the feelings were most interested. The labours of Penelope, of Helen, and Andromache, are proverbial, and this mode of giving permanency to the actions of ill.u.s.trious individuals was not confined to the cla.s.sical nations. The ancient islanders used to work--until the progress of art enabled them to weave the histories of their giants and champions in Tapestry; and the same thing is recorded of the old Persians; and this furniture is still in high request among many Oriental nations, especially in j.a.pan and China. The royal palace of Jeddo has profusion of the finest Tapestry; this indeed is gorgeous, being wrought with silk, and adorned with pearls, gold, and silver.

It was considered a right regal offering from one prince to another.

Henry III., King of Castile, sent a present to Timour at Samarcand, of Tapestry which was considered to surpa.s.s even the works of Asiatic artists in beauty: and when the religious and military orders of some of the princes of France and Burgundy had plunged them into a kind of crusade against the Turkish Sultan Bajazet, and they became his prisoners in the battle of Nicopolis, the King of France sent presents to the Sultan, to induce him to ransom them; amongst which Tapestry representing the battles of Alexander the Great was the most conspicuous.

Tapestry was not used in the halls of princes alone, but cut a very conspicuous figure on all occasions of festivity and rejoicing. It was customary at these times to hang ornamental needlework of all sorts from the windows or balconies of the houses of those streets through which a pageant or festal procession was to pa.s.s; and as the houses were then built with the upper stories far overhanging the lower ones, these draperies frequently hung in rich folds to the ground, and must have had, when a street was thus in its whole length appareled and partly roofed by the floating streamers and banners above--somewhat the appearance of a suite of magnificent saloons.

"Then the high street gay signs of triumph wore, Covered with shewy cloths of different dye, Which deck the walls, while Sylvan leaves in store, And scented herbs upon the pavement lie.

Adorned in every window, every door, With carpeting and finest drapery; But more with ladies fair, and richly drest In costly jewels and in gorgeous vest."

When the Black Prince entered London with King John of France, as his prisoner, the outsides of the houses were covered with hangings, consisting of battles in tapestry-work.

And in tournaments the lists were always decorated "with the splendid richness of feudal power. Besides the gorgeous array of heraldic insignia near the Champions' tents, the galleries, which were made to contain the proud and joyous spectators, were covered with tapestry, representing chivalry both in its warlike and its amorous guise: on one side the knight with his bright faulchion smiting away hosts of foes, and on the other side kneeling at the feet of beauty."

But the subjects of the tapestry in which our ancestors so much delighted were not confined to _bona fide_ battles, and the matter-of-fact occurrences of every-day life. Oh no! The Lives of the Saints were frequently pourtrayed with all the legendary accompaniments which credulity and blind faith could invest them with.

The "holy and solitary" St. Cuthbert would be seen taming the sea-monsters by his word of power: St. Dunstan would be in the very act of seizing the "handle" of his Infernal Majesty's face with the red-hot pincers; and St. Anthony in the "howling wilderness," would be reigning omnipotent over a whole legion of sprites. Here was food for the imagination and taste of our notable great-grandmother! Yet let us do them justice. If some of their religious pieces were imbued even to a ridiculous result, with the superst.i.tions of the time, there were others, numberless others, scripture pieces, as chaste and beautiful in design, as elaborate in execution. The loom and needle united indeed brought these pieces to the highest perfection, but many a meek and saintly Madonna, many a lofty and energetic St. Paul, many a subdued and touching Magdalene were produced by the unaided industry of the pious needlewoman. Nay, the whole Bible was copied in needlework; and in a poem of the fifteenth century, by Henry Bradshaw, containing the Life of St. Werburgh, a daughter of the King of the Mercians, there is an account "rather historical than legendary,"[84]

of many circ.u.mstances of the domestic life of the time. Amongst other descriptions is that of the tapestry displayed in the Abbey of Ely, on the occasion of St. Werburgh taking the veil there. This Tapestry belonged to king Wulfer, and was brought to Ely Monastery for the occasion. We subjoin some of the stanzas:--

"It were full tedyous, to make descrypcyon Of the great tryumphes, and solempne royalte, Belongynge to the feest, the honour and provysyon, By playne declaracyon, upon every partye; But the sothe to say, withouten ambyguyte, All herbes and flowres, fragraunt, fayre, and swete, Were strawed in halles, and layd under theyr fete.

"Clothes of golde and arras[85] were hanged in the hall Depaynted with pyctures, and hystoryes manyfolde, Well wroughte and craftely, with precious stones all Glysteryng as Phebus, and the beten golde, Lyke an erthly paradyse, pleasaunt to beholde: As for the said moynes,[86] was not them amonge, But prayenge in her cell, as done all novice yonge.

"The story of Adam, there was goodly wrought, And of his wyfe Eve, bytwene them the serpent, How they were deceyved, and to theyr peynes brought; There was Cayn and Abell, offerynge theyr present, The sacryfyce of Abell, accepte full evydent: Tuball and Tubalcain were purtrayed in that place, The inventours of musyke and crafte by great grace.

"Noe and his shyppe was made there curyously Sendynge forthe a raven, whiche never came again; And how the dove returned, with a braunche hastely, A token of comforte and peace, to man certayne: Abraham there was, standing upon the mount playne To offer in sacrifice Isaac his dere sone, And how the shepe for hym was offered in oblacyon.

"The twelve sones of Jacob there were in purtrayture, And how into Egypt yonge Josephe was solde, There was imprisoned, by a false conjectour, After in all Egypte, was ruler (as is tolde).

There was in pycture Moyses wyse and bolde, Our Lorde apperynge in bushe flammynge as fyre, And nothing thereof brent, lefe, tree, nor spyre.[87]

"The ten plages of Egypt were well embost, The chyldren of Israel pa.s.syng the reed see, Kynge Pharoo drowned, with all his proude hoost, And how the two table, at the Mounte Synaye Were gyven to Moyses, and how soon to idolatry The people were p.r.o.ne, and punysshed were therefore, How Datan and Abyron, for pryde were full youre."[88]

Then _Duke_ Joshua leading the Israelites: the division of the promised land; Kyng Saull and David, and "prudent Solomon;" Roboas succeeding;

"The good Kynge Esechyas and his generacyon, And so to the Machabus, and dyvers other nacyon."

All these

"Theyr n.o.ble actes, and tryumphes marcyall, Freshly were browdred in these clothes royall."