Young Woman with a Pink
Original title: Young Woman with a Pink
kurzbeschreibung
Woven in wool and metal thread at the Imperial Russian Tapestry Manufactory in Saint Petersburg in the late 18th century, this portrait shows a young woman in traditional dress. She wears a dark gown with a striking collar and a head covering, and one hand is raised. The weave has a density of roughly 20–25 warps per inch (8–10 per cm).
Description
Her gaze meets the viewer directly, one hand lifted slightly and the other resting on a piece of furniture, only part of which can be seen in the dark room around her. A head covering partly veils her face above the marked collar of her dark garment. An ornate frame surrounds the image and carries the name 'P. VANDEK'. The reproduction appears monochrome, a result of the black-and-white photograph rather than the tapestry itself.
Context
Peter the Great founded the Imperial Russian Tapestry Manufactory in Saint Petersburg in 1716 to establish weaving as a craft in Russia. By the late 18th century its workshops were producing mainly portraits and decorative wall hangings for the court. The presence of metal thread points to a costly execution of the kind made for aristocratic patrons. Who the sitter was has not come down to us.
Impact
A solemn, reserved mood settles over the viewer at once, carried by the dark dress and the serious expression. Clothing and hands are rendered so precisely that the portrait takes on an almost painterly quality, drawing the eye in for a closer look. The ornate frame and the name inscribed on it add to the sense of ceremony.
Technique
The piece is woven as a tapestry in wool and metal thread on a high-density warp system. At 20–25 warps per inch, the weave resolves fine detail closely approaching that of a painting, while the metal thread gives the surface a lustrous, precious effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)