The warp & the weft: tradition and innovation in Skaerbaek tapestries, 1896-1903

Wieber, S. (2015) The warp & the weft: tradition and innovation in Skaerbaek tapestries, 1896-1903. Journal of Design History, 28(4), pp. 331-347. (doi: 10.1093/jdh/epv014)

Abstract

Between 1896 and 1903, the ‘School for Artistic Hand-Weaving’ at Skærbæk/Scherrebek (Denmark) produced a series of Jugendstil tapestries that played a key role in late nineteenth-century German design reform and International Art Nouveau circles. At the time, the weaving school and its attached workshop were upheld as models of progressive weaving practices that consciously revived traditional techniques and folk motifs to create a distinctly modern design language. And yet, Skærbæk has since been virtually forgotten by design historians. This essay aims to redress this omission by consciously focusing on the creative, ideological and practical decisions involved in the production and reception of Skærbæk’s tapestries. Shifting the focus away from celebrated Jugendstil designers and back onto shop floors and journal pages unveils fascinating insights into contemporary debates around issues of national identity, class and gender politics, and international reform initiatives.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wieber, Dr Sabine
• Authors: Wieber, S.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > History of Art
• Journal Name: Journal of Design History
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 0952-4649
• ISSN (Online): 1741-7279
• Published Online: 25 May 2015
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 The Author
• First Published: First published in Journal of Design History 28(4):331-347
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher