watercolour 'Queen Anne Love seat'
Date
c.1910
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
Dimensions: 405mm x 280mm
Creator
Scope and content
Watercolour design of a sofa or 'love seat' inscribed on the back 'Queen Anne love seat, walnut covered needlework'.
This was probably a showroom design for the Royal School of Art Needlework (later the Royal School of Needlework) showing the sorts of decorative furnishing work the school could produce. In the late 19th century the school had a partnerships with a number of interior decorating firms who acted as agents including the art furniture maker Henry Capel, Maple & Co, and Agnes and Rhoda Garrett, however by 1878 the school mainly sold directly from the Exhibition road showroom. Furniture both the production of needlework to cover it and the sale of complete pieces was a substantial part of the RSAN's business by the end of the 19th century and they collaborated with a number of decorating firms to show at international and domestic exhibitions.
This sofa shows a flamboyant floral design on a golden/ cream ground. Queen Anne reigned 1665-1714 and the term indicates a design inspired by late seventeenth and early eighteenth century needlework, these chair and seat covers were often (but not always) carried out in canvas work and the floral motifs were abundant and might include such varieties as carnations, tulips, auricula, hyacinths, ranunculus, anemones, carnations, pinks, and polyanthus. See https://royal-needlework.org.uk/archive-collection/blog/flowers-in-18th-century-embroidery for more information on eighteenth century flowers in needlework.
This was probably a showroom design for the Royal School of Art Needlework (later the Royal School of Needlework) showing the sorts of decorative furnishing work the school could produce. In the late 19th century the school had a partnerships with a number of interior decorating firms who acted as agents including the art furniture maker Henry Capel, Maple & Co, and Agnes and Rhoda Garrett, however by 1878 the school mainly sold directly from the Exhibition road showroom. Furniture both the production of needlework to cover it and the sale of complete pieces was a substantial part of the RSAN's business by the end of the 19th century and they collaborated with a number of decorating firms to show at international and domestic exhibitions.
This sofa shows a flamboyant floral design on a golden/ cream ground. Queen Anne reigned 1665-1714 and the term indicates a design inspired by late seventeenth and early eighteenth century needlework, these chair and seat covers were often (but not always) carried out in canvas work and the floral motifs were abundant and might include such varieties as carnations, tulips, auricula, hyacinths, ranunculus, anemones, carnations, pinks, and polyanthus. See https://royal-needlework.org.uk/archive-collection/blog/flowers-in-18th-century-embroidery for more information on eighteenth century flowers in needlework.
Transcription
Queen Anne love seat, walnut covered needlework
Reference code
D4/2
© Royal School of Needlework