- A stunning selection of textiles, chosen not just for their elegance and beauty, but also for their relevance to the history
of textile design; each one is representative of the design movements of its time; features specially commissioned new
photography
- Includes a fascinating, in-depth account of how and why these pieces were made; this is the first book on textiles to
examine aesthetic design is combined with serious archival research into the history of textile production, from design to
manufacture and marketing
- Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Francesca Galloway Gallery
Late Eighteenth & Early Nineteenth Century Textiles presents a selection of pieces chosen for their beauty, their
elegance and their relevance to the history of textile design. The focus is on furnishing textiles that illustrate the tremendous
shift in taste from the restrained Neo-Classical style of the late 18th century to the imperialistic, utterly luxurious fashions of
the Napoleonic era and beyond.
Europe and America experienced rapid changes in interior decoration throughout the 19th century, due in part to the radical
social changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution. Flamboyant nouveau riche taste flourished throughout the western
world, encompassing spirited revivals of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Islamic styles and designs by
talented figures such as Owen Jones, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, Christopher Dresser and William Morris.
One of the earliest textiles featured is the Verdures du Vatican, designed by Jean-Demosthene Dugourc for King Carlos IV of
Spain in 1799. Elsewhere there is a brocaded silk and metal satin rosette and medallion chair seat cover by Grand Frères for
Cartier et Fils, 1808-15, the design of which was re-woven for Jacqueline Kennedy's 1962 refurbishment of the White House.
The book features many more pieces of great beauty and extremely high quality.
Two British designs relate to the Aesthetic movement: the first, Hatton, is silk tissue with a beautiful design depicting prunus
blossom and small insects, designed by Bruce Talbert, a central figure of the Aesthetic movement; the second is a hand
block printed wallpaper designed by Christopher Dresser, with stylised flowers and trailing plants, inspired by Japanese
decorative artwork. Also featured is Vineyard, a cotton and wool weave designed by Edmund Hunter, which was displayed at
the 1903 Arts & Crafts Exhibition. Along with its companion volume Twentieth Century Textiles, this landmark publication
offers an extraordinary opportunity to appreciate the evolution of textile design and technique across almost 200 years
through a stunning selection of pieces rarely on public view.
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