"In Praise of the Needlewoman - Embroiderers, Knitters, Lacemakers, and Weavers in Art" By Gail Carolyn Sirna Merrell Publishers Hardcover, $35, 2006, 192 pages, 1-85894-341-8
Do you have someone special on your gift list who loves art - as in paintings they visit in museums? This book might just be the answer to your shopping challenge. It contains paintings from the 15th to 20th centuries by famous and less famous artists that portray women in the act of embroidering, knitting, lacemaking, weaving, crocheting, sewing. Too often we see laces out-of-context. Here, when lace is present in a painting, we see dress, hairstyle, room furnishings and indoor or outdoor backgrounds of the period. We know that many people think fine needlework is no longer being made. The author, in her introduction, tells about present guilds. Perhaps this will serve to educate today's readers as to what many of us have been endeavoring to preserve in recent years - skills and accurate documentation of our history. (Just today, a prominent TV personality referred to a delightful combination of silk ribbon roses/sequins & beaded embroidery/sheer applique on a transparent Valentino-designed frock as "bargello".) Sirna has been lecturing and teaching embroidery at the national (American) level for 25+ years. She selected 89 images from North America and Europe - many museums and a variety of artists are represented - for inclusion in this book. Paintings range in variety and style from two by Vermeer (one being the well-known lacemaker), eight separate lovely portraits by Renoir, and one by Dali (a little-known painting of a lacemaker). I loved (for the woman's attire and romantic setting) Madame Arthur Fontaine, painted by Odilon Redon in 1901, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is shown in a beautiful romantic setting, embroidering. She is wearing a lovely yellow gown, lace bertha collar and lace cuffs. All art images are in color and the book is printed on quality paper. The layout of the pages makes this book a joy to read. Each time a page is turned there is a new image, and facing it is an essay about it and the artist. No need to jump throughout the book to get the story. It is easy to read a few pages and think about them, then return to the book another day. A list of suggested Further Reading, the Picture Credits, and Index are at the back of the book, if needed. This is a book that can probably be found in Museum Bookshops, as well as the usual suppliers. If, as a result of this review you acquire this book - please let me know what you think of it. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center Arachne Newbies: Would you like to see art images of lacemakers (no explanatory text)? Go to: http://lace.lacefairy.com/LaceArt/LaceArt.htm - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
