Thursday, May 29, 2008

Embroidery












These images are from the book The Embroiderer's Flowers by Thomasina Beck. They bring to mind the paintings of Julie Heffernan - especially the last pic of the dress. You could hide an army under that skirt! But just look at the embroidery in these pieces (click to see details...)
I'm sure it took an army to do that work!! Fantastic.

An anonymous portrait of Elizabeth Vernon, Coutess of Southhampton, c1600.

An anonymous portrait of a lady of the Hamden family.

An anonymous portrait of a young man c1590, wearing a blackwork doublet veiled over the sleeves with transparent gauze.

Gown in the rococo style (1744).

5 comments:

artslice said...

Fabulous textiles!!! Love these ladies.

martha miller said...

I know, huh? Can you inamgine the hours of work that went into these garments? Something akin to building the pyramids...

martha miller said...

i meant to type IMAGINE...

:^)

Susan Beauchemin said...

OK, now you've done it!! Little P wants me to make her a dress JUST like that last one--very puffy. Sure I'll whip it right up--a little play dress.

martha miller said...

Ha HA! No sweat! You could buy a flowered couch cover and put it over a wire frame and just stick P in the top of it...