Border
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This small piece of embroidery was probably part of a bed valance. Pholegandros is an island in the Cyclades group of Greek Islands. As an example of the work carried out by the women there, which included the dyeing of the silk threads as well as the embroidery, this is particularly skilled both in its design and workmanship.
These qualities presumably made it attractive to to the designer William Morris, who owned it in the 19th century and whose daughter May Morris bequeathed it to the Museum. It may have been acquired by Morris at the same time as two pieces of Cretan embroidery 'brought back by the English consul' which Morris sent to Thomas Wardle in 1876 stating 'Mrs Wardle will find some stitches in them worth looking at'. Wardle, was one of the leading British textile manufacturers of the later 19th century, and his wife a noted embroiderer.
These qualities presumably made it attractive to to the designer William Morris, who owned it in the 19th century and whose daughter May Morris bequeathed it to the Museum. It may have been acquired by Morris at the same time as two pieces of Cretan embroidery 'brought back by the English consul' which Morris sent to Thomas Wardle in 1876 stating 'Mrs Wardle will find some stitches in them worth looking at'. Wardle, was one of the leading British textile manufacturers of the later 19th century, and his wife a noted embroiderer.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Linen, embroidered in silks in satin, darning, cross, long-armed cross and chain stitches |
| Brief description | Border, linen embroidered in coloured silks, 18th century, Greek Islands, Cyclades |
| Physical description | Embroidered in coloured silks (red, blue, green, yellow and brown) on fine linen with a band of coarser linen at one long edge. Turned in with central loop fastening at one short edge, the other short edge cut. Design of flowers and pots, with geometrical patterns. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by May Morris |
| Summary | This small piece of embroidery was probably part of a bed valance. Pholegandros is an island in the Cyclades group of Greek Islands. As an example of the work carried out by the women there, which included the dyeing of the silk threads as well as the embroidery, this is particularly skilled both in its design and workmanship. These qualities presumably made it attractive to to the designer William Morris, who owned it in the 19th century and whose daughter May Morris bequeathed it to the Museum. It may have been acquired by Morris at the same time as two pieces of Cretan embroidery 'brought back by the English consul' which Morris sent to Thomas Wardle in 1876 stating 'Mrs Wardle will find some stitches in them worth looking at'. Wardle, was one of the leading British textile manufacturers of the later 19th century, and his wife a noted embroiderer. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.121-1939 |
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| Record created | January 13, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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