Design
Date
1876
Level of description
Item
Creator
George Aitchison: George Aitchison was an architect and designer of the Arts and Crafts and Aesthetics Movements. He had a life long association with Frederic Leighton and is best known for being the architect behind Leighton's house in Holland Park Road.
From 1847 to 1849 Aitchison studied architecture at the Royal Academy Schools. He then took a degree in structural science at University College, graduating in 1851 and winning two prizes for mathematics. He completed his education visiting the Continent and at Easter of 1853 he was in Rome where he met the painter George Heming Mason (1818-72) and through him was introduced to Frederic Leighton, Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905), Edward Poynter (1836-1919), Giovanni Costa (1826-1903), Rudolph Lehmann (1819-1905) and William Burges (1827-81). All were to become his friends. He was involved in the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Building and an examiner alongside Walter Crane for the National Art Schools' competitions.
From 1887 to 1905 he was Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy and from 1896-1899 he served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, receiving the Queen’s Gold Medal in 1898, the same year he was elected a full Royal Academician.
George and a number of other members of his family, including his sister provided designs for the Royal School of Art Needlework in the 1870s.
Scope and content
Design for embroidery on paper, gouache or body-colour and watercolour. This design is part of of a folio of designs, many of which were submitted to the Arts Committee of the Royal School of Art Needlework between 1874 and 1876, and which eventually were displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition between May and October 1876.
A note on this design in Aitchison’s handwriting says: ‘For the School of Art Needlework, Princes Gate, S Kensington, SW, it is signed George Aitchison 26 October 1876. This design was therefore not part of the submissions for Philadelphia.
It is a layered design showing part of a repeat pattern with stylised flowers in blue, pink and yellow with green /aquamarine leaves. Petals of pink flowers are outlined in darker coral and their centres are green, petals of the yellow flowers are outlined in a deep yellow and the centres are a pink/purple. The blue flower petals are outlined in green. The leaves are aquamarine.
The cropped nature of the design suggests that it was not preserved in this book in a way that required it to be copied for the full repeat design, probably the copying had taken place before the design was pasted here or there were other versions.
A note on this design in Aitchison’s handwriting says: ‘For the School of Art Needlework, Princes Gate, S Kensington, SW, it is signed George Aitchison 26 October 1876. This design was therefore not part of the submissions for Philadelphia.
It is a layered design showing part of a repeat pattern with stylised flowers in blue, pink and yellow with green /aquamarine leaves. Petals of pink flowers are outlined in darker coral and their centres are green, petals of the yellow flowers are outlined in a deep yellow and the centres are a pink/purple. The blue flower petals are outlined in green. The leaves are aquamarine.
The cropped nature of the design suggests that it was not preserved in this book in a way that required it to be copied for the full repeat design, probably the copying had taken place before the design was pasted here or there were other versions.
Transcription
To the School of Art Needlework Princes Gate S Kensington George Aitchesin 26 October 1876
Reference code
D2/39
© Royal School of Needlework