Stitching Idyllic

Stitching by Ann Bernard

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THE MAGNA CARTA PANELS

The Magna Carta Embroidery Panels were commissioned by Runnymede Borough Council and designed and created by Rhoda Nevins, a member of the Royal School of Needlework.

They show the story of how the Barons persuaded King John to agree to the Magna Carta, arguably the most important legal document of our history, laying the foundation for justice and freedom, not only in this country but throughout the world.

The embroideries are works of art that tell that story, which is what this series all about.

Events that led up to the sealing of the Magna Carta occurred in the Charter Towns. Rhoda Nevins designed the panels to depict these events. Each Magna Carta Trust town has its own panel which are Runnymede, Bury St Edmunds, St Albans, the City of London, Canterbury and Hereford.

An additional panel shows the shields of the 25 barons who were present at the sealing.

Five more panels tell the story of how the Magna Carta spread law and order throughout the Commonwealth and former British Colonies. There are panels for the United States of America, Canada, Australia, India and South Africa. The following photo was the best reproduction I could find of a panel.

The fabric is heavy weight silk with applique and surface embroidery using silk and gold threads.

The panels are a lasting legacy to the UK in honour of one of the most important historical events in their history.

Enjoy a post from the past

I just had to include this final photo. When a panel is large and wide there is a problem in reaching the central area. If rolling the fabric onto the width bars is not feasible, then someone has to work from underneath.

“Get out and get under” with thoughts of Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. She looks to be as comfortable as she could be in a difficult situation.

https://magnacartaembroidery.com

Comments are welcome.

Tomorrow:  One final episode which is an update on the Bayeux Tapestry.

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MAGNA CARTA (AN EMBROIDERY) with thanks to information on Wikipedia

Moving to more recent times, the Magna Carta (an Embroidery) commemorates the 800th Anniversary of the signing of this document by King John and the Barons. It is the charter of rights and freedoms and formed the base of the Constitution of England and many other countries,

Magna Carta (An Embroidery) is a 2015 work by English installation artist Cornelia Parker.

The artwork is an embroidered representation of the complete text and images of an online encyclopedia article for Magna Carta, as it appeared in English Wikipedia on 15 June 2014, the 799th anniversary of the document.

The making of and, the finished Embroidery, watch this video:

Magna_Carta_An_Embroidery.ogv

This is an introductory and very complete view of the Embroidery. And, it is fascinating.

The hand-stitched embroidery is 1.5 metres wide and nearly 13 metres long. It is a response to the legacy of Magna Carta in the digital era and Parker has referred to it as “a snapshot of where the debate is right now”, the result of all open edits by English Wikipedians up to that date.

It was commissioned by the Ruskin School of Art at the University of Oxford in partnership with the British Library, after being chosen from proposals from a shortlist of artists in February 2014.

Cornelia Parker used a screenshot from the 15 June 2014 English Wikipedia article for Magna Carta and printed it onto fabric.

To read this article on line, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta

Like English Wikipedia, the embroidery was created through the collaboration of many individuals.

It was divided into 87 sections and sent to 200 individuals who each hand-stitched portions of the artwork. Cornelia Parker sought the collaboration of people and groups that have been affected by and associated with Magna Carta.

The bulk of the text of the Wikipedia page has been embroidered in various prisons by inmates under the supervision of Fine Cell Work, a asocial enterprise that trains prisoners in paid, skilled, creative needlework. https://finecellwork.co.uk

The detailed pictures, emblems and logos that punctuate the text have been fashioned by highly accomplished members of the Embroiderers’ Guild, a national charity that promotes and encourages the art of embroidery and related crafts, alongside embroiderers from the Royal School of Needlework and the leading embroidery company Hand & Lock.

Enjoy a post from the past

At least one embroiderer was selected from each region of the UK. Many celebrities and public figures also contributed, stitching phrases or words of special significance to them.

Cornelia Parker has represented the work as “echoing the communal activity that resulted in the Bayeux Tapestry but on this occasion placing more emphasis on the word rather than the image, I wanted to create an artwork that is a contemporary interpretation of Magna Carta.”

This piece of or nué embroidery is part of the Cornelia Parker installation. The lady who stitched this is featured in the first video.

It is difficult and time consuming to stitch this technique.

Tomorrow: The Magna Carta Panels.

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The Hastings Embroidery.

For those who are unaware of this national treasure, here are some facts:

The Hastings Embroidery was commissioned by Group Captain Ralph Ward, or, the County Borough of Hastings. It was made by the Royal School of Needlework in 1965 to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1966. It consists of 27 panels, each 9′ – 3′ and shows 81 great events in British history that occurred during the 900 years between 1066 and 1966. It took 22 embroiderers 10 months to complete.

This is the first panel and shows King William being crowned at Westminster Abbey. Crowd control was necessary as the Saxon inhabitants were not happy with his take over of England. He built a lot of castles/fortresses including the Tower of London.

The Hastings Embroidery was stitched before the Overlord Embroidery  (1968-69 -70 approx), and is also worked in applique. It uses antique fabrics, modern fabrics, cord, thread, leather and some feathers contributed by the parrots at the London Zoo. I have no information on the designer. It is bright/vivid/colourful and vibrant.

It was given to the town/city of Hastings who currently have two panels on display in the Town Hall. The first picture above is one of these.

Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales

This enormous historical embroidery needs to be displayed in a building that is climate controlled such as the one in which the Bayeux Tapestry is displayed. The Overlord will also be displayed in a climate controlled environment when the Portsmouth Museum reopens the gallery later in 2018.

Hastings says that it is unable to afford a suitable building for this and has been saying so for the last 52 years.

In reality, this is a National Treasure and should be hung in an environment that is part of the British National Heritage. I am thinking of London Museums such as the Victoria and Albert or the British Museum. Maybe there is a suitable venue for it in Windsor? Is there space in Hampton Court Palace which is also the location of the Royal School of Needlework.

Or, could a new building be located in the area of Hastings or Battle become its permanent home.

It is a dramatic and a graphic lesson on British History.

The Hundred Years War.

It would make a wonderful history teaching book both in the Coffee Table size and for School Libraries. For a publishing company, it would be a great marketing tool and some profits could go to helping establish a permanent home for the panels.  With young people already aware of the existence of these panels, it would be on the worthwhile outings list for every school.

Think about it world.

This is a national responsibility.  It is a shame that it remains in storage (apparently in London) rather that being available for the public to see  and enjoy. Maybe the upside of this is that it is stored in a climate controlled space and is not suffering deterioration.

King Henry VIII welcoming the King of France.

One of the final panels is of Sir Winston Churchill on the White Cliffs of Dover.  This makes it a continuous narrative with the Overlord Embroidery. His right hand is making his famous salute and his left hand  holds a cigar.

Enjoy a post from the past

The photos are screen shots. My apologies for the poor quality which do not do justice to the originals.

A 45 minute film of the complete Hastings embroidery can be viewed at The Hastings Embroidery – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZbfbDvoEa8. It is worth the time to view it.

Feel free to forward the link to this series to friends and other interested persons.

Tomorrow:   The Magna Carta.

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More recent news on the Bayeux Tapestry’s

Inevitably, there have been thoughts on why the Bayeux Tapestry finishes so abruptly with the death of King Harold on the battlefield of Hastings. It is thought that 8′ –10′ of the Tapestry were not completed. The ladies of the Channel Island of Alderney have created a four foot panel showing the finale to the Bayeux Tapestry. It was completed in 2013 and has been shown with the original tapestry in Bayeux.

Just finished!  You can see it all in this picture.

Lots of people had a chance to add a stitch or two and enjoyed the experience.  As you can see – because of its width, the top half had to be stitched upside-down.

The children were encouraged to add some stitches too.

The far right edge is finished with the same design as was used at the left hand edge of the Bayeux Tapestry.

It was a Community Project.

To see more go to ‘The Alderney Bayeux Tapestry Finale’ where you will find lots more information.

Reading Museum and their Bayeux Tapestry

The Victorian full scale replica of the Bayeux Tapestry is on view at the Reading Museum. Creating it was the idea of Elizabeth Wardle of the Leek Embroidery Society. They thought that Britain should have its own Bayeux Tapestry. Sir Thomas Wardle, the developer of silk dyes, produced yarns to match the original shades of wool. 35 ladies, all well practiced stitchers, took one year to complete the project. It is a true replica except for a discreet concealment of some of the anatomy in the original.

The truth of the matter is that they used the hand coloured photographs of the Bayeux Tapestry owned by the Victoria and Albert Museum as their design source. Some of the printing had got a bit blurred, or, edited. I remember viewing this copy in the V and A in the early 1950s. I knew nothing about the Bayeux Tapestry at the time but was fascinated to roll the paper copy back and forth on its rollers. Age is a great corrector of ignorance. It is such a good likeness to the original that I have no photos to show you that would be different in anyway.

http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk

You will find more about Sir Thomas and Elizabeth Wardle and the development of dying silk earlier in Stitching Idyllic blog.

Andy Wilkinson

Meet Andy Wilkinson who is a history buff. Without any experience of drawing or sewing, he started on a 2:1 scale version of the Bayeux Tapestry. He is a London Underground engineer and a member of historical re-enactment groups. As of 2013, he had been working on it for 18 years, At that time it was 40′ in length. The original Bayeux Tapestry is 230′ long. More information can be found at the contact below.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2305699/History-fanatic-spends-18-YEARS-hand-stitching-version-Bayeux-Tapestry-40ft-long.html#ixzz535XPoCDf

Enjoy a post from the past

Ray Dugan

Ray Dugan is a retired Professor of the University of Waterloo in Kitchener, Ontario. He has stitched a full scale replica of the Bayeux Tapestry. He brought it to our Guild a few years ago and we were impressed with his workmanship as well as the enormous task he had undertaken.

Included here is a panel from his embroidery.  I chose a battle scene from the several he sent me. Please note his stitching skill.

Having raised the question about artist/designer differences pause and take a good look at this one.

What do you think?

It has been shown in many places including St The Evangelist Anglican Church in Kitchener. It’s permanent home is with Ray Dugan.

To read more, go to  http://dugansbayeuxtapestry.com

Tomorrow: Really will be The Hastings Embroidery.

It is another monumental piece of embroidery, and, it is an unknown National Treasure.

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The Sequel to the Battle of Hastings.

King William’s victory was not welcomed by the Saxon population but it would be have been surprising if it had been.  The next months were stormy and he was crowned king on Christmas Day, 1066 in a deliberately empty Westminster Abbey.  England was a country of separate areas and each one had its own Saxon government.  There were rebellions and after each one, King William confiscated land and gave it to his Norman supporters.  By the end of his 20 year reign, the countryside was owned and governed by Normans.  He introduced some very sensible laws.

Curious?  Look them up on Wikipedia.

He also built multiple castles and fortresses including the Tower of London.  Civilian building included St Albans Abbey and Winchester Cathedral.

King William moved back to Normandy. He was illiterate but made an attempt to learn Olde Englyshe.  He was too busy and he gave up.  He had 8 children who he married off all over Europe.  It is said that every European royal family is descended from King William.

If the Saxons had won the Battle of Hasting, King Harold would have been a HERO big time.  The Saxon nation seems to have been more peaceful than either the Vikings or the Normans.  It was also isolated and backward compared with the Normandy.  The Normans modernized it.

There were several factors that contributed to the Saxon defeat.  They were battle weary after Stamford Bridge.  Both the Viking and Saxon armies were largely foot soldiers.  The Saxons lost highly trained fighting men and there were injuries. Reading today tells me that the Saxons had horses which they rode to battle: but, they fought on foot.

Then, they had another major battle to fight and its location was long way from  Stamford Bridge.  The Norman army was rested, mounted on horseback, were well drilled and disciplined.  An example of superior technology winning the war.  King Harold made some strategical errors including having both his surviving brothers involved in the battle.  When all three were killed it left a leadership vacuum.

Consequences of William the Conqueror’s Victory at the Battle of Hastings.
http://michaeltfassbender.com/nonfiction/other

The Animated Bayeux Tapestry

King William ordered a survey of the assets of England in 1086 primarily as a basis for taxation. The results were compiled into the Domesday Book. About the same time, Bishop Odo commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry.  This was to make sure that the Saxon population really did know who won the war.

Many scholars have studied the Bayeux Tapestry and many books written on the subject.  My reference was by Eric Maclagan C.B.E. and published in 1943.  I have owned this small book since I was a student at RSN.  As I looked at photos on the web, I have marveled at the artistic rendering of so many men, horses and scenes from everyday life.  The design is amazing in that there is an understandable order in each scene and a continuity between one scene and the next.

It all makes sense.  What does not make sense is a discrepancy between the design and drawing between the prequel scenes and the actual battle.  They all have a a life and energy to them but nothing prepares for the confusion and mayhem of the battle scenes.  The soldiers are larger than life and graphic in death.  Did the same artist draw the final scenes?  Whoever the artist was, he/she was as conversant with battle action as with everyday life.

I am going to raise a question that I have not seen anywhere in my reading.  The Tapestry definitely had an artist/designer.  The logical and graphic sequencing of events could not have been randomly stitched. But, there appears, to me, to be a different eye and hand portraying the battle scenes.

Go back and look at it again.  The battle scenes are graphic, chaotic and bloody.  Could one artist have portrayed the daily life and adventures of the 11th century and then changed his/her style for the battle?  One noticeable difference is that the faces in the early scenes are squarish or round and the bodies are normally proportioned. In the battle scenes, they are elongated and individual facial differences are less obvious.  Yes, I know that a man standing in the stirrups of his horse is tall.  The change in style seems to happen after the Normans army leaves its camp and continues on to the end of the Tapestry. (scenes 60 – 79).

Were there two artists?  Did the second artist quit or was he no longer available for some reason?

Enjoy a post from the past

Go online and look at Bayeux Tapestry Images. I could not find a specific picture to include here.

The quality of the stitching is remarkable.  The stitchers retained the energy of the action which is palpable almost 1000 years later.  The main characters are recognizable and facial features are distinctive. Horses, often in a mass, are individually distinctive and that takes some doing.

If it really was Queen Mathilda and her ladies who stitched the Bayeux Tapestry, they did a wonderful job.  Embroidery was a profession in those days and if the best of their best stitched the Tapestry, I am dazzled by their prowess.

The stitchers would seem to have continued their work until they ran out of a design,

What do you think about the artist/s and design?

I do not know, but, I am wondering.

Tomorrow:  The Hastings Embroideries. Unlike the Bayeux Tapestry which everyone has heard of, I bet you are unaware of these.

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The Bayeux Story continues

The wind direction changed allowing the Norman armada to sail.  On September 29, 1066, Duke William with his army, equipment and a multitude of horses landed in Pevensey Bay on the south coast of England and then moved east to the area of Hastings where they set up camp. They built defenses plus a castle and burned the buildings of local residents. Here is shown a woman leaving her burning house with her son. She is one of only three women depicted in the tapestry

The Norman army settles in. Food is prepared and Duke William has a feast. Bishop Odo, William’s half brother, is seated third from the right and is saying grace. He was also present at the Battle of Hastings. His religious vows prevented him from shedding blood so he was armed with a mace which is a good bludgeoning weapon. It was he who, about 20 years later, commissioned the creation of the Bayeux Tapestry.  As general literacy was not then established, the story in pictures is thought? to have been commissioned to educate and justify Dukes William’s actions to the Saxon population of England.  They were not happy with his succession to the throne and there was civil unrest for 10 years or longer subsequent to 1066.

Note the features of the two men setting fire to the house in the first picture.  Take a look at the faces of the Normans at their feast. Bishop Odo is recognizable each time he appears in the narrative.  I am not sure which one is Duke William.  Possibly, he is the one on the right hand side of the picture with his arm raised.

Enjoy a post from the past

  • The Hastings Embroidery.
    For those who are unaware of this national treasure, here are some facts: The Hastings Embroidery was commissioned by Group …

A little out of context but look closely at this rendition of King Edward in the picture below.  Note the details such as his beard and hands. Look at his crown and his clothing. He is recognizable as the same person each time he appears in the narrative. Faces are difficult to stitch as anyone who has tried will know. Not only is King Edward recognizable but he also has a personality.

Amazing design and amazing stitching.  The Bayeux Tapestry has been repaired over the years as the threads have disintegrated over time. Even though it is now housed in a climate controlled gallery, the fabric is very fragile.  I have read that its length was designed fit all round the entire inside of Bayeux Cathedral.  There is an empty space at the end which gives an idea of the length of the uncompleted portion.

I have read extensively about the Bayeux Tapestry and related history.  Every source says something different.  I have aimed for accuracy but it is hard to know what ‘accurate’ is.

Tomorrow:  October 14,  Battle Day.