1600 / 1615, London
1600 / 1615, London
- Identifier
- T.134-1928
- Acquisition
- Purchased with Art Fund support
- Collection
- Technique
- Depiction
- Floral motif 65%
- Floral motif 59%
- Floral motif 76%
- Floral motif 56%
- Floral motif 49%
- Vegetal motif 52%
- Vegetal motif 42%
- Vegetal motif 51%
- Vegetal motif 44%
- Vegetal motif 44%
- Vegetal motif 40%
- Vegetal motif 38%
- Vegetal motif 56%
- Vegetal motif 43%
- Geometrical motif 66%
- Geometrical motif 43%
- Geometrical motif 38%
- Geometrical motif 50%
- Geometrical motif 48%
- Geometrical motif 78%
- Geometrical motif 76%
- Geometrical motif 44%
- Geometrical motif 37%
- Geometrical motif 49%
- Geometrical motif 45%
- Geometrical motif 87%
- Geometrical motif 70%
- Dimension
- 179.5 cm (height)422 cm (width)
- Production time
- Production place
- Type of object
Description
This embroidery is described as a carpet, but it was intended for laying on a table as a costly and highly decorative cover, rather than on the floor. Its pictorial border would hang down vertically from the table's edge. The carpet would be covered up or removed if the table was used. 'Foot carpets' occasionally appear in contemporary paintings, in which case they are intended to indicate the high social standing of the sitter who can afford to have such an object underfoot.
Makers & Making
This carpet was produced in a professional workshop, and the absence of heraldry suggests that it was made for sale on the open market rather than for a specific commission. The embroidery is exceptionally fine, with approximately 62 stitches to the square centimetre. The tension of the embroidery stitches has pulled the canvas from a rectangular into a parallelogram shape.
Design & Designing
The design of the carpet has sometimes been described as depicting humankind's progression from the wild state to civilisation. It can also be seen more simply as a celebration of country pursuits. There are scenes of hunting, fishing and shooting, as well as the rural occupations of shepherd, milkmaid and miller, with watermill and windmill. Rural scenes were very popular in embroidered furnishings in the later 16th and early 17th century. British Galleries: The range of luxury furnishings used in wealthy households included embroidered carpets. They were not used on the floor but as decorative table covers. The colourful and lively borders on this carpet were intended to hang down around the edges of the table and to be clearly visible. The absence of heraldry suggests that it was made for sale on the open market rather than as a specific commission. [27/03/2003]