Designs for Embroidery with Bundles and Garlands with Flowers and Leaves
Drawing with a variety of design motifs for embroidery typical from the 19th century, which saw a revival of styles, including the Calssicism of Greece and Rome, Renaissance styles, Rococo and Neoclassicism. These revivals were linked to the "collector mania" that took place especially after 1850, and coincided with the Romantic movement in literature that saw in the past an escape from modernity. Some of the most common design motifs that emerged from this renewed interest in antiquarianism were naturalistic and floral motifs, including thin garlands and bundles, vases, classical musical instruments, and ribbons.
This drawing presents a variety of floral design motifs, starting on the left side of the sheet with a large spiral created by a long scrolling strip of stylized leaves colored with shades of green and with offsets with small, round, pink flower buds, and a scrolling wheat ear colored with brown, which transforms into a thin branch with leaves rendered with two shades of green and pink stylized flowers, which turns into a strip of stylized conical flower buds colored with green, blue and gray, which turns into a strip of blue pearls and ends with a large stylized flower with yellow petals and pink pistils with red dots.
To its right are two bundles of flowers and leaves: one of them contains a variety of large stylized leaves rendered with shades of green, and stylized flowers with petals colored with shades of blue and pink, held together by a ribbon bow colored with shades of blue; the other with scrolling branches with thin, elongated leaves rendered with shades of green, bundles of small flower buds made up of small pink dots, and rosettes with blue or yellow petals and red pistils. To the left, and near the bottom of the sheet of paper, is a garland with stylized flowers that look like lilies of the valley, colored with shades of pink and purple, and stylized leaves. In the middle of this garland is a stylized flower with white petals and pink-and-purple pistils.
This drawing presents a variety of floral design motifs, starting on the left side of the sheet with a large spiral created by a long scrolling strip of stylized leaves colored with shades of green and with offsets with small, round, pink flower buds, and a scrolling wheat ear colored with brown, which transforms into a thin branch with leaves rendered with two shades of green and pink stylized flowers, which turns into a strip of stylized conical flower buds colored with green, blue and gray, which turns into a strip of blue pearls and ends with a large stylized flower with yellow petals and pink pistils with red dots.
To its right are two bundles of flowers and leaves: one of them contains a variety of large stylized leaves rendered with shades of green, and stylized flowers with petals colored with shades of blue and pink, held together by a ribbon bow colored with shades of blue; the other with scrolling branches with thin, elongated leaves rendered with shades of green, bundles of small flower buds made up of small pink dots, and rosettes with blue or yellow petals and red pistils. To the left, and near the bottom of the sheet of paper, is a garland with stylized flowers that look like lilies of the valley, colored with shades of pink and purple, and stylized leaves. In the middle of this garland is a stylized flower with white petals and pink-and-purple pistils.
Artwork Details
- Title: Designs for Embroidery with Bundles and Garlands with Flowers and Leaves
- Artist: Italian School (19th century)
- Date: ca. 1850–1900
- Medium: Watercolor and Ink
- Dimensions: Sheet: 13 13/16 × 19 5/16 in. (35.1 × 49 cm)
- Classifications: Drawings, Ornament & Architecture
- Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1960
- Object Number: 60.629.17
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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