Purse
Object name
Date made
Circa 1920s-1930s
Place made
Description
Circa 1920s-1930s petit point purse illustrating one of the stories of Alexander the Great.
Content description
Circa 1920s-1930s petit point purse illustrating one of the stories of Alexander the Great, called 'The Family of Darius' or iterations of that. This purse borrows its illustration from one of Charles Le Brun's tapestry cartoons called Stories of Alexander the Great. The purse is covered on all sides with tiny tent stitches worked in wool threads on canvas. It has a rectangular metal clasp.
The purse shows a classical soldier in armour and a helmet accompanied by a second man in a similar outfit. At the first man's feet fall a large group of figures, mostly women, positioned under a large tent. The scene is framed by borders that feature putti, flowers, and what appears to be sculpted elements. At the bottom in the centre is a cartouche with what is meant to be text, but which is purposefully illegible. The purse features the same illustration on both sides. Both sides are united by a floral border.
In 1661 Charles Le Brun received his first commission from French King Louis XIV for The Family of Darius Before Alexander. In it, Alexander the Great and Hephestion visit the captured relatives of the vanquished Persian King Darius after the Battle of Issus. Following the production of this painting, Louis commissioned more pieces about Alexander the Great from Le Brun. These four huge canvases illustrating Alexander's victories, which were executed between 1665 and 1673, were intended to be cartoons for tapestries which were later woven at the Gobelins factory in Paris. The series includes Alexander Entering Babylon (or the Triumph of Alexander), the Battle of Arbela, Crossing the Granicus, and Alexander and Porus. Le Brun's paintings proved an inspiration for quite a few 1920s and 1930s petit point purses.
Such petit point purses were very popular in the early decades of the 20th century. They could be made in the home or purchased ready made. The detail present here suggests this purse was either purchased ready made or was stitched by a keen embroiderer.
The purse shows a classical soldier in armour and a helmet accompanied by a second man in a similar outfit. At the first man's feet fall a large group of figures, mostly women, positioned under a large tent. The scene is framed by borders that feature putti, flowers, and what appears to be sculpted elements. At the bottom in the centre is a cartouche with what is meant to be text, but which is purposefully illegible. The purse features the same illustration on both sides. Both sides are united by a floral border.
In 1661 Charles Le Brun received his first commission from French King Louis XIV for The Family of Darius Before Alexander. In it, Alexander the Great and Hephestion visit the captured relatives of the vanquished Persian King Darius after the Battle of Issus. Following the production of this painting, Louis commissioned more pieces about Alexander the Great from Le Brun. These four huge canvases illustrating Alexander's victories, which were executed between 1665 and 1673, were intended to be cartoons for tapestries which were later woven at the Gobelins factory in Paris. The series includes Alexander Entering Babylon (or the Triumph of Alexander), the Battle of Arbela, Crossing the Granicus, and Alexander and Porus. Le Brun's paintings proved an inspiration for quite a few 1920s and 1930s petit point purses.
Such petit point purses were very popular in the early decades of the 20th century. They could be made in the home or purchased ready made. The detail present here suggests this purse was either purchased ready made or was stitched by a keen embroiderer.
Dimensions
height: 22cm
width: 18cm
width: 18cm
Materials
Stitches
Techniques
Motifs
Catalogue number
RSN.1114
© Royal School of Needlework