Peasants at the Woman's Exhibition 1900

Saturday, 13 January 2018

Peasants at the Woman's Exhibition 1900

Ethel Blount exhibited a number of pieces at the 1900 “Woman’s Exhibition” held at Earl’s Court. This exhibition took part as part of the women's liberation movement. She is recorded as Mrs Godfrey Blount exhibiting:

"373 Bell Pull in Peasant Tapestry

374 Panel in Peasant Tapestry

377 Portiere in Peasant Tapestry"

The bell pull, a bell to summon a servant, is an indication of the social class to which the Haslemere Peasant Arts aimed their market.

The introductory article to the Exhibition by Imre Kiralfy (Woman’s Exhibition, 1900, Earl’s Court, London, S.W.: official fine art, historical and general catalogue, Spottiswoode & Co.) provides an interesting insight to the women’s movement at the time:

“During no period in the world’s history has the progress of woman’s work been so remarkable as in that of the present century. Although this advance is fully realised, and several attempts have been made to illustrate the progress of woman’s work, there has never been an Exhibition dealing adequately with this great subject. The advance of woman in the fine arts, in education, in refined and beautiful workmanship, in inventions, her studies and devotion in nursing, and her softening influence, which has penetrated into almost every profession, elevates the nineteenth century in the memorable record of the world’s history. It is an apparent fact, particularly when we turn to literature, that the work by woman during the last hundred years greatly exceeds anything accomplished by her in all previous times. UI is, therefore, but fitting and just that woman’s work should be represented in a worthy manner, at the close of this century, by a commemorative Exhibition, the first of its kind ever held.

…Nothing is more interesting than to trace, through all its vicissitudes, the lengthy course of laws and customs which have slowly raised woman from a condition of abject slavery to a position of social and civil equality…

…The day is passed when Woman, inspired by the necessities of a barbaric or warlike age, could repudiate the weakness of her sex, and contend with man on the field of battle. Christianity and civilisation have taught her to renounce such ideas, and to assume another and a more glorious duty..

The new mission is symbolised by the name of Florence Nightingale, its originator, its apostle, and its example. Words can scarcely express the great debt of gratitude we owe to this lady, who, by her generous and heroic labours, has given up her whole life to the promotion of humane work, to the amelioration of the condition of our soldiers, to the improvement of hospital organisation.

….Royalty has had many bright representatives in history, but it remained for this century to give birth to the noblest of all – Victoria, the greatest and most honoured of Sovereigns. …Her monumental work and mighty influence have not only benefited the one-fourth of the women on earth over whom she rules, but all other nations over which it is spread. No sooner had she ascended the throne than a complete revolution for the advance in education, science, and culture took place which resulted in the great progress of literature, arts, industries. And legislation which have glorified her reign and made her era unparalleled in history.”

Committee Members,
Woman's Exhibition, 1900, Earl’s Court, London, S.W.:
official fine art, historical and general catalogue, Spottiswoode & Co.

The prominence of duchesses, marchioness, countesses and ladies on the committee list is quite striking. In the introduction to the Applied Art Section Tessa MacKenzie wrote “Women have at all times worn Tapestries, and here we have an example of a remarkable Tapestry design as well as executed by a woman, i.e. Mrs Frida Hansen, and an example of the work being done in Bushey by Miss Clive Bayley….

It is therefore satisfactory to realise that there is a greater field for woman’s capacity than she has, till of late years, had, and the present Exhibition may justly be looked upon as having opened the eyes of the world to her ability to succeed wherever she competes with men.”

It is disappointing to not see Ethel’s Blount tapestry being highlighted in this article. However it is useful to have the names of tapestry work by other artists of the time. Frida Hansen (1855-1931) was a “Norwegian textile artist in the Art Nouveau style…several of her weaving designs considered among the best made in recent European textile art.” (Wikipedia). Miss Clive Bayley was from The British and Irish Spinning and Weaving School. The Art Journal (1899) reported that Bayley’s work “strikes one as a genuine attempt at art of a homely kind. The most ambitious effort of the children working there is a reproduction in tapestry of one of Fra Angelico’s frescoes. Failing the possibility of obtaining for the purpose designs by competent artists, this is about as good a source as Miss Bayley could have gone to.”