Artifact Details

Title

Jacquard Portrait Woven In Silk

Catalog Number

X341.84

Type

Physical object

Description

Framed picture of Jacquard seated at his work bench. Woven inscription at base of portrair reads "D'apres le tableau de C. Bonnefond; Exécuté par Didier Petit et Cie" Woven inscription in lower part of frame reads: "A LA MÉMOIRE DE J.M. JACQUARD., Né à Lyon le 7 Juillet 1752 Mort le 7 Aout 1854, DIDIER PETIT ET Cie LYON M.DCCC.XXXIX. Cisse par M.M. Garguillat.” The reverse side of the backing board (masonite) reads "Property of British Celanese Limited" in pencil. A label for the original (?) framer is attached at the base of the backing board which reads "J. Pratt & Sons, Picture Framing....Fine Art Dealer....Est. 1887, Telephone 48132, 31 Curzon Street, Derby."

A similar woven portrait is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which describes the portrait as "Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1752–1834) invented the Jacquard mechanism, a patterning device than, when attached to a loom, made it practical to weave more detailed designs than were previously possible. This woven silk portrait of the inventor is based on a painting by Claude Bonnefond (1796–1860) that was commissioned by the city of Lyon in 1831. The Lyon manufacturer Didier, Petit et Cie ordered the silk version from weaver Michel-Marie Carquillat, who became a specialist in this kind of work. The Museum owns another woven picture after a painting by Bonnefond, showing the duc d'Aumale (son of the French king Louis-Philippe) visiting Carquillat's atelier. The silk picture convincingly portrays elements such as a translucent curtain over glass window panes."

Date

c.1839

Designer

Carquillat, Michel-Marie

Manufacturer

Didier Petit & Co

Place Manufactured

France

Dimensions

28 x 24 x 1 in.

Category

Ephemera/other

Credit

Courtesy of Gwen and Gordon Bell; Conservation supported by Junfeng Pan

Lot Number

X341.84