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Butterfly Brocade
Edward William Godwin, born 1833 - died 1886 - Enlarge image
Butterfly Brocade
- Object:
Furnishing fabric
- Place of origin:
Spitalfields, England (woven)
- Date:
1874-1876 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Edward William Godwin, born 1833 - died 1886 (possibly, designer)
Warner and Sons (maker) - Materials and Techniques:
Jacquard-woven silk
- Credit Line:
Given by Warner & Sons Ltd.
- Museum number:
T.152-1972
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 125d, case 1
This woven silk textile was intended for use as curtaining or furniture upholstery. According to the records of Warners, this silk was made for the London decorating firm of Collinson & Lock. Godwin worked for this firm from July 1872 for about three years. His diaries mention the production of designs for Warners over a two-year period from September 1874 to October 1876.
This design shows E. W. Godwin's mature, Anglo-Japanese style. The main circular design of magnolia blossom comes directly from a Japanese crest. The original design for this silk is owned by the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, and the V&A has a drawing by Godwin of this particular motif (museum no. E.280-1963).
The name of the pattern, which was probably invented by Warners for identification purposes, is misleading. The silk is not a brocade but has a strong technical similarity to a brocatelle, which is a sumptuous, rigid, ribbed fabric suitable for battening to walls. It is possible that the name derived from a misreading of the abbreviation 'Butterfly Broc' by which it was listed in the firm's weaving records.
