A Vineyard of Vine Leaves

Frontal of the Country Church, Kings Road, Haslemere
designed by The Tapestry Studio from
Art Journal, February 1911

Vine leaves seem to appear in almost every Peasant Arts piece that was not produced by the Haslemere Weaving Industry.  I have attempted to collate them all together here, but after a while it got a bit wearing and hence this collection is not complete.  The importance of the vine leave design to the Peasant Arts movement cannot be underestimated.  It seems intrinsically linked to their religious values, encapsulated in the motto "Confortamini et afferte nobis de fructibus terræ" which translates as "Be of good courage, and bring us the fruits of the land".

'Peasant Tapestry from Haslemere'
from The Artist, May 1901

Cover of The Vineyard,  journal of the Peasant Arts movement

Detail of peasant tapestry 'done by beginners' from
The Artist, November 1897

Detail of 'a design for wood carving' by Godfrey Blount
from The Artist, September 1897

A panel filling, by Godfrey Blount
from The Artist, September 1897

Plaster panel by Godfrey Blount
from The Artist, September 1897

A frieze in plaster by Godfrey Blount
from The Artist, September 1897

Cover of Maude Egerton Hine, by Greville MacDonald, 1927

'A classification of leaves' from Arbor Vitae, Blount, Godfrey, Fifield, 1910, 3rd edition 

Blount, Godfrey, Arbor Vitae, Fifield, 1910, 3rd edition

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

'The budding and fruiting of the spiral' detail from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

detail of The Spies, a tapestry designed by Godfrey Blount
c.1900, Victoria & Albert Museum

A Flotilla of Peasant Boats

from Godfrey Blount's Arbor Vitae, Fifield, 1910, 3rd edition 

Godfrey Blount wrote in Arbor Vitae "Think of all that a boat, for instance, ought to mean to man.  He fishes from it; it is the faithful charger he trusts himself to on the deceitful sea.  It is built like a swan or duck, as buoyant as they and, like them, as simple in curve as the elements it contends with, sweeping wind and crested wave.  It is an argo, type of noble discovery and venture, for which heroes leave their homes and embark to face unknown seas, monsters of one-eyed prejudice, procrastinating harpies, irresolute whirlpools, and scornful incredulity, to search for fleeces of gold, balmy Amercias, new kingdoms, or old truths."

Blount's depiction of boats remains similar throughout his works.

Design for a Bookplate by Godfrey Blount,
The Artist, September 1897

'The Deep Sea' Peasant Tapestry Wall-Hanging, designed by Godfrey Blount,
Studio International, vol 29

'The Lonely Boat' designed by Godfrey Blount, Peasant Tapestry for
the centre of bed spread, from The Artist, November 1897

Drawing of 'Applique work designed by Godfrey Blount, executed by the class'
Studio International, vol 11-13

Oak wall bracket by Mrs Blount, with curtain of peasant tapestry designed by Godfrey Blount
from The Artist, November 1897

Drawing of 'Applique work portiere, designed by Godfrey Blount,
executed by Kate Shawyer, Haslemere' from
Studio International, vol 11-13

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

from Arbor Vitae (ibid)

A Herd of Peasant Deer

by Godfrey Blount,
from Arbor Vitae, 1899

I thought it would be interesting, and perhaps a bit of light relief, to look at some popular depictions of the Peasant Arts movement.  Firstly, the deer.  They are often paired either side of a tree creating a symmetry.  In other examples running deer are shown leaping through the air.

Side-board cloth by the Haslemere Weaving Industry,
The Artist, November 1897

Detail of Haslemere Weaving exhibit from a postcard,
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Detail of a chest with panels of Gesso by Godfrey Blount,
The Artist, September 1897

Detail of a ceiling for a Gate House, by Godfrey BlountThe Craftsmen, Vol 12, April 1907-September 1907

Detail of Godfrey Blount plaster frieze at Sandhouse, Witley

from RIBA's Francis Troup archive

Detail of Godfrey Blount plaster frieze at Sandhouse, Witley
from RIBA's Francis Troup archive

Detail of Godfrey Blount plaster frieze
from T.D.L. Thomas, ‘Rustic Renaissance: Arts and Crafts in Haslemere’, 
Country Life, April 15, 1982

Detail of Peasant Arts Guild motto, designed by Godfrey Blount,
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Deer design by Godfrey Blount
from Arbor Vitae, 1899

Pattern detail by Godfrey Blount
from Arbor Vitae, 1899

Detail of Peasant Arts greeting card
designed by Godfrey Blount,
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

from Blount, Godfrey, Arbor Vitae, 1899

from Blount, Godfrey, Arbor Vitae, 1899

Detail of talisman card
by Godfrey Blount
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Haslemere Peasant Tapestry,
designed by Godfrey Blount
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Detail of picture hanging in the on a wall behind Godfrey Blount,
reproduced courtesy of the Dartford Warbler

A spotty deer?
Detail from a magic lantern slide by Godfrey Blount
reproduced courtesy of the Dartford Warbler

Detail of talisman card by Godfrey Blount
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Detail from a magic lantern slide by Godfrey Blount
reproduced courtesy of the Dartford Warbler

Detail from a talisman by Godfrey Blount
reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum