The Art and Craft of Textile Design, 1860-1920

August 16, 2008 to January 4, 2009

Hours: 12:00 - 5:00 pm Wednesdays - Sundays

 

The Pasadena Museum of History is proud to present The Art and Craft of Textile Design, 1860-1920, a landmark exhibition curated by Pasadena-based designer and historian Ann Chaves featuring significant pieces from private collections in Northern and Southern California, as well as New York, Illinois and Maryland — many never before displayed for the public. 

Textiles were an important element of the greater Arts and Crafts movement; the unique craftsmanship and artistry in the pieces on display illustrate how this new and vibrant art and fashion style was created and evolved in the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

“One of the main reasons I am so attracted to this particular period of textile design is the sophistication and the thought process that went into their creation,” says Chaves.   The Arts and Crafts textile movement came about after the decline in textile quality and aesthetic that occurred during the Victorian period. This decline was due to the invention of the sewing machine and the use of aniline dyes. The Arts and Crafts Era issued in more refined styles of textile design and an emphasis on handmade textiles. Educational facilities were established specializing in artistic needlework, including the Royal School of Needlework in London and the Needlework Department at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland.

 This exhibition defines the parameters of Arts and Crafts design and shows the variance of stylization within the art form. Textiles from 1860 to 1920 on display include fabrics from Great Britain and continental Europe, as well as from the United States. Household items and clothing fill the galleries, complimented by related items such as patterns, kits, sewing equipment, and textile design books.  In addition, biographical information about the needle workers and societies that created the textiles provides insight into the background of the pieces, and technical information explains the production process of select textiles. The exhibition references influences outside of the art world that have contributed to textile design, including how women’s fashion and household trends altered the development of Arts and Crafts textile design. 

 Display inside the exhibition; photo by James Staub.     

                                                                                                         

CURATOR: Ann Chaves owns Inglenook Textiles Needlework Studio in Pasadena. She designs and creates unique textiles which abide by the principles of Arts andCrafts design. Her work emphasizes fluid originality rather than mere reproduction of the Arts and Crafts movement.  Her interest in hand crafted textiles was sparked at a young age by her Scottish grandmother who taught her to knit and sew. Chaves studied art education, design and textiles at Cazenovia College and Buffalo State College. She has studied and actively practiced Arts and Crafts designs for over twenty years.

MAJOR EXHIBITION DONORS: Howard and Roberta Ahmanson

SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Please check the Programs & Events page for up-to-date listings of special programs that will be offered in conjunction with this exhibit.