Oscar Was Destined to be Immortalized in Needlework Before Even Setting Foot in North America

Oscar Was Destined to be Immortalized in Needlework Before Even Setting Foot in North America

Outline Embroidery Images of Oscar and his Fellow Aesthetes were published before he even set foot in America.  So it shouldn’t come as a surprise his image is showing up on quilts.  

The following description very aptly describes the Oscar image on my CQ:  “…the black-velvet robed lecturer in knee breeches and buckled shoes, with lace frills at his wrist, and a cascade of lace at his throat…”  This is from A Lecture by Oscar Wilde by Mary Wager-Fisher published in The Christian Union, Vol 25, No 22, Page 504; June 1, 1882. 

British satirical publications “Punch, Or the London Charivari.” and “Judy, Or the London Serio-comic Journal.” published caricature illustrations of the poet Oscar Wilde in 1881, as did Puck here in America.  

The Art Amateur seized on the burgeoning popularity of Mr. Wilde and his fellow aesthetes with the ladies and offered a collection of designs suitable for outline embroidery or etching on linen in their October 1881 issue. 

The Art Amateur, Vol 5, October 1881, Pg 110.  Supplemental Designs.  Plate CXXII. Is a collection of designs – “Aesthetes” suitable for outline embroidery or etching on linen. 

Not only were the figures published in The Art Amateur – articles appeared as book reviews in several publications advertising the fact they were available and mentioning Oscar Wilde in particular.  

The Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, October 9, 1881, Page 7 had a review for the October issue of the Art Amateur mentioning embroidery designs.  

The Louisiana Journal of Education, Vol 3, No 7, November 1881, Page 231 had the following ad:  The Art Amateur for October contains a great variety of designs for china painting, art needlework and general decoration, including some clever silhouette menu cards, and some clever serio-comic figures of Oscar Wilde and his fellow "aesthetes" for outline embroidery or "etching" on linen. 

The New Englander, 1881, No 163, November 1881, Page 835 had a similar ad:  The Art Amateur for October contains a great variety of designs for china painting, art needlework and general decoration, including silhouette menu cards, and some capital serio-comic figures of Oscar Wilde and his fellow "aesthetes" for outline embroidery or "etching" on linen. 

The most probable source may have been “Judy, Or the London Serio-comic Journal” since the ads mentioned serio-comic figures – and that is part of Judy’s name.  I was able to review volumes 27 and 29-30 on the HathiTrust.org web site, but they did not have number 28.  It is possible some figures of the Aesthetes were in that issue and were the inspiration for the outline designs in The Art Amateur – as it was a  very common practice to convert popular designs into etching patterns for the ladies to use in their fancy work.  Or maybe it was like the contemporary English caricature “Our Oscar” as he was when we loaned him to America from The Amenities of Book-collecting and Kindred Affections by A, Edward Newton, 1918, page 326.  

Oscar’s caricature is illustrated several times in both Punch and Judy. 

Puck, another satirical magazine – along the same lines, had a comic with some aesthetes in their August 10, 1881 issue, by alas Oscar was not among them. 

Until plate CXXII is found, it will be a guess.  It is very hard to find intact supplements from The Art Amateur, as they were generally not included when they bound the issues together into volume format.   If I ever find it – I will post.  

Update:  I have found Issue 28 of Judy in the UK, and hope to review it as soon as I get the book.

My Oscar Crazy Quilt

My "Oscar Crazy Quilt"

As I watch the snow fall (5-inches so far) - I figured I should finally post images of my "Oscar Crazy Quilt."  In trying to date the quilt, there were several hints on the quilt.  There is a ribbon (in top right image) indicating Oct 3, 1878 - a Soldiers Association in Bureau County.  John Cooper (OscarWildeInAmerica.Org) forwarded two newspaper clippings indicating that there was a reunion of the Bureau County Soldier's Association held in Princeton, Ill. on Oct 3, and that it was a glorious success.  Looks like the maker - or someone they new - was present at that celebration.  Of course there is Oscar and his beloved sunflowers - and he was on tour here in North America in 1882.  Now the motifs.

There is a girl playing with a hoop near a brick wall - that came out in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine in February 1882.  The little girl with the umbrella and boy carrying his slate were also in the 1882 Godey's for May on page 467.  The Kate Greenaway girl feeding a bird - was in the January 1882 of Harper's Bazaar magazine.  It was also in the 1884 Ladies Fancy Work Manual, and in the follow-up editions.  There does not appear to be any "Stamping Catalogue" or "Stamping Outfit" images on the quilt - mostly from magazines and ads - leading me to suspect a pre-1884 date.

There is a floral applique very neatly blanket stitched on with very tiny stitches.  Appliques were offered at dry goods stores for the purpose of crazy quilts by at least 1884, if not earlier.  The girl (just below the ribbon) looks like it may have been inspired by the "Cuticura Remedies" ad that was in many periodicals of the day.

There is a small insert (red-dotted line) of a bird - it is the same pattern as the bird next to Oscar on my quilt.  Since there are two quilts with the same image - there has to be a source out there somewhere.  Hopefully I will find it.

With the clues I have assembled - the quilt was probably made in the early 1880s, possibly started earlier - but most definitely influenced by the aesthete Oscar Wilde's lecture trip to North America on Decorative Art in 1882.

Well, I must get some rest - there will be shoveling for me in the A.M. - my back hurts just thinking about it!

Oscar Wilde Inspires Crazy Quilts

Oscar Wilde Inspires Crazy Quilts

Back in 1882 Oscar Wilde hit the American lecture circuit like a storm and inspired a “new style of bed quilt, “the Oscar Crazy” with “a sunflower in the middle, and all about it patches of silk and velvet of every color to be found in your own rag bag, borrowed, begged or stolen, from those of your friends.” [Excerpt from the Green Mountain Freeman, Montpelier, VT; September 13, 1882.]  

The Quachita Telegraph, Monroe, Louisiana, September 2, 18882 described this year’s rage as the “Oscar Crazy Quilt” using a half-yard square with a sun-flower, lily, daisy or pansy in the center with bits of silk and velvet of all colors, arranged helter-skelter, a sort of artistic confusion of colors.  The name is the article is called “Old Fashioned Industries Revived.” written by the New York Correspondent of the Chicago News.  On September 20, 1882, the correspondent is identified as Anne Wakeman, and the article is titled simply “Patchwork” in the Abbeville Press, Abbeville, SC and again on October 4, 1882, in The Forest Republican, Tionesta, PA.  

At the start of the tour, artist James Kelly drew a sketch of Mr. Wilde that was used in promotional materials for the lectures.  More can be found at: http://oscarwildeinamerica.org 

The image was published on June 6, 1882 in the Memphis, TN Public Ledger advertising the June 12, 1882 lecture in Memphis and again in the Atlanta Constitution on July 2, 1882 for Mr. Wilde’s lecture on Decorative Art.  I’m sure it was in other papers, but these are the only ones I have documented.  The newspaper ads were probably the source used in the CQs identified by Barbara Brackman.  https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2018/09/oscar-crazy-quilts-2-portraits.html

Sunflower motifs were found in Peterson’s, one of the popular ladies magazines of the day.  In January 1882, Peterson’s published a sun-flower design in crewels; and in their June 1882 issue, they provided a pattern for the “Oscar Wilde” penwiper.  

Clark’s O.N.T. Spool Cotton Thread joined the Oscar band wagon and placed a mini-Oscar along with Jumbo holding a sunflower – called the Jumbo Aesthetic.  

The poster from the Patience opera reminded me of an image I had on one of the crazy quilts in my collection.  It is appliqued onto the block and out-line embroidered to highlight the image.  There are sunflowers on another block on the quilt.  I will post more images from that quilt shortly.  

Note:  Many of the newspaper sources were found at:  https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

Update:  Oscar Wilde's likeness could be purchased for 10 cents and added to your quilts.  Image from the 1886 J.F. Ingalls catalog.  It is the same as what was in the newspapers advertising his lectures and is based on the Kelly sketch.

The Mouse Rider Has Company

The Mouse Rider has Company

While looking at my Crazy Quilts - in search of sunflowers and Oscar Wilde influences, I reviewed the 1885 CW quilt that I posted on back in April 2018 (see http://quiltpapers.blogspot.com/2018/04/1885-crazy-quilt-puzzle.html ).

On one of the blocks was the Mouse Rider!  They must have used the same 1884 ad I found and used on my 2019 QCNYS Crazy Quilt challenge.

The 1885-6 Crazy Redwork Splasher I am using for inspiration had a Donkey Rider as indicated above.

Barbara Brackman has posted some great articles regarding the connection of Oscar Wilde and early Crazy Quilts.  I will be posting some images of my Oscar CQ shortly.  Until then, see Barbara's blog.

https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2018/09/oscar-crazy-quilts-2-portraits.html

https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2018/09/oscar-crazy-quilts-1-correct-flowers.html