Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Pattern Book

1706-07

In the Victoria & Albert Museum is a pattern book for the use of silk weavers. Late in the 17th century French Huguenot refugees brought advanced techniques of silk-weaving to London where a successful local industry grew up around them at Spitalfields. James Leman (1688-1745)  creator of this pattern book  was descended from these refugees. At age 14 in 1702 he was apprenticed to his father. Within a few years his talent for creating new patterns must have emerged  judging by the abundance of surviving evidence. The reverse of the fold-ups on the tipped-in watercolors are often embellished with James Leman's beautiful copperplate handwriting indicating the name of the mercer who bought the design and other details of the commission.

1707

1707

1707-08

1708

1708

1708

1709

1710-11

1710-11

1711

1711