Saturday, 16 January 2010

Victorian Berlin woolwork: The Young David playing his harp to soothe King Saul








This is a beautiful Victorian Berlin woolwork picture, quite large, and entirely worked in petitpoint in wool with silk highlights on canvas.

It depicts a scene from the Bible's Old Testament, with the young David playing his harp to soothe the torments of King Saul. The colours are beautiful, bright and unfaded, and I like the sinister, brooding feeling that is conjured by the intensity of Saul's gaze and the worried expression on the face of the woman juxtaposed with the innocence and rapture of the young David as he makes music.

5 comments:

  1. Well done in finding out the story behind the tapestry. The photos pick out the details gloriously

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  2. I hadn't worked it out and listed the panel on ebay, and someone emailed me with details, and it all fell into place! xx

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  3. Where do you find such amazing pieces, Lois? The colors are so exquisite and the images so life-like.

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  4. My sister spotted this one at an antiques fair last week, the snow was deep, so very few dealers had turned up, but this beautiful embroidery stood out for its lovely colours and its intens mood! x

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  5. Beautiful piece. Do you know when and where it was made and what it is appraised at.

    Steve

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