Flounce
1685-1695 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This needle lace flounce would have been part of a set, intended for furnishing or possibly ecclesiastical use. The set was probably divided up and dispersed in the 19th century, and there are further sections and fragments in a number of other museum collections. Its quality and elaborate symbolism suggest that it may have been a commission associated with the court of Louis XIV of France (reigned 1643-1715). The design incorporates theatrical figures, crowns, canopies, obelisks, trophies of arms and portrait medallions, all set among scrolling flowers. The figure holding a sceptre below a laurel wreath held by two putti has been interpreted as Louis XIV himself, especially as a sun appears above his head, but the composition also includes the moon and stars together with owls to represent night so may be allegorical.
In 1665 the French government established state-sponsored lace industries to develop local production, and stop the import of costly Venetian needle lace and Flemish bobbin lace. The government persuaded Venetian and Flemish lacemakers to come to France. It allocated them to a number of towns selected as centres for the new industry. The most successful was the needle lace industry based at Alençon and Argentan. French needle lace, known as 'point de France', soon began to compete with Venetian needle lace. It developed the distinctive form shown here, with patterns in the style of Jean Bérain (1637-1711), a leading designer at the court of Louis XIV, appointed Dessinateur de la Chambre et du Cabinet du Roi in 1674.
In 1665 the French government established state-sponsored lace industries to develop local production, and stop the import of costly Venetian needle lace and Flemish bobbin lace. The government persuaded Venetian and Flemish lacemakers to come to France. It allocated them to a number of towns selected as centres for the new industry. The most successful was the needle lace industry based at Alençon and Argentan. French needle lace, known as 'point de France', soon began to compete with Venetian needle lace. It developed the distinctive form shown here, with patterns in the style of Jean Bérain (1637-1711), a leading designer at the court of Louis XIV, appointed Dessinateur de la Chambre et du Cabinet du Roi in 1674.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Needle lace in linen thread |
| Brief description | Flounce of raised needle lace in linen thread, France, 1685-1695 |
| Physical description | Flounce of raised needle lace in linen thread. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Margaret Simeon |
| Object history | Registered File number 1992/524. This flounce would have been intended for furnishing or possibly ecclesiastical use. The original flounce or set of flounces was probably divided up in the 19th century. Its quality and elaborate symbolism suggest that it was a royal commission, and it has been associated with the Court of Louis XIV. Further pieces and fragments are known in other collections : T.29-1949 (V&A, bequesthed by Lady Ludlow) T.258-1922 (V&A, bequeathed by Miss M B Hudson) Bowes Museum Blackborne Collection no. 197 Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam inv. R.B.K.1980-86 (purchased Christies, London, 1980, from collection of Mrs John Mulholland nee Olivia Vernon, from her grandmother Mrs Walter Burns, sister of J Pierpont Morgan) Cooper-Hewitt Museum, New York inv.1950-121-36 (given by Richard Greenleaf) Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, F25W49-B.72 (purchased form Lady Kenmare in 1897, made up of 19 fragments) Burrell Collection, Glasgow, inv.24/32 Musee de la Mode, Paris Johannesburg Art Gallery Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC inv. 26.200 (collection of William A Clark) Hillwood Museum, Washington DC (from Marjory Merriweather Post) Cleveland Museum of Art Brooklyn Museum piece sold at auction Jean-Marc Delvaux, Paris, 11/10/1999, lot D4 (from Collection Lescure) piece photographed in collection of Mr Jules Woernitz, Paris, in 1888, present whereabouts unknown |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This needle lace flounce would have been part of a set, intended for furnishing or possibly ecclesiastical use. The set was probably divided up and dispersed in the 19th century, and there are further sections and fragments in a number of other museum collections. Its quality and elaborate symbolism suggest that it may have been a commission associated with the court of Louis XIV of France (reigned 1643-1715). The design incorporates theatrical figures, crowns, canopies, obelisks, trophies of arms and portrait medallions, all set among scrolling flowers. The figure holding a sceptre below a laurel wreath held by two putti has been interpreted as Louis XIV himself, especially as a sun appears above his head, but the composition also includes the moon and stars together with owls to represent night so may be allegorical. In 1665 the French government established state-sponsored lace industries to develop local production, and stop the import of costly Venetian needle lace and Flemish bobbin lace. The government persuaded Venetian and Flemish lacemakers to come to France. It allocated them to a number of towns selected as centres for the new industry. The most successful was the needle lace industry based at Alençon and Argentan. French needle lace, known as 'point de France', soon began to compete with Venetian needle lace. It developed the distinctive form shown here, with patterns in the style of Jean Bérain (1637-1711), a leading designer at the court of Louis XIV, appointed Dessinateur de la Chambre et du Cabinet du Roi in 1674. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.134-1992 |
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| Record created | October 22, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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