Above, front of the tapestry before treatment.
We had the pleasure of conserving the wonderful floral Mark Adams Tapestry named Ranuculus, shown above. The tapestry is 70 inches wide x 78 inches tall.
Mark Adams was born in Fort Plain, New York. Adams studied art, including stained glass and painting, and apprenticed with Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17 and Hans Hoffman.
Though as an artist he is possibly best known for his watercolors, his interest in tapestry began through visits to the Cloisters and through collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
In 1955 he apprenticed with French tapestry designer Jean Lurcat in Saint-Cere, France, and went on to study at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs d’Aubusson. He was heavily influenced by master weavers Paul Avignon and his wife Marguerite.
Right, the artist’s plate (on back) showing
the name of the piece, and indicating it may have been made in France.
For an image of Mark Adams and his wife, Beth Van Hoesen, also an artist, go here.
ASSESSMENT
The tapestry was suffering from rips and many separations; the latter if left untreated would eventually lead to more tears. Our client was wise to pay attention to the piece, and sent it for conservation and cleaning before it became a major undertaking. During our assessment we tagged each area that needed treatment: pulled stitches, separations or the beginning of a potential tear, missing stitches.
The bulk of our treatment would be hand-stitching the parts that were separating or had separated, and missing stitches. Because of this process, as we discuss various treatment examples shown below you will see the assessed image needing reparation, an example shown left.
After our completion of the stitching repairs, we would send the tapestry to be cleaned by Atiyeh Brothers. After cleaning it would be brought back to us and the hanging mechanism would be reattached.
The goal of the treatment was to stop further degradation in any form.
Below, the back of the tapestry.
Note the many woolen tags from the weaving.
THANK YOU to the Mark Adams, who left us some tags
to work with covering warp, as you will see below!
TREATMENT
What follows are general notes about the treatment and samples areas treated. I started at the bottom, and as I worked around the edges then into the center I could remove the pins and notes and roll the tapestry so the interior treatment could be performed.
Regarding the disparate changes in the color of certain areas (when it is NOT due to flash or no flash) this was the colors as they came out in the camera as the natural light played across the woolen yarns over several hours. I chose the images based upon the best depiction of the event, not matching the colors, which would have been impossible in certain colorways.
THREADS
I pulled threads to have on hand during the treatment that either matched exactly or were just a bit darker than the field, so they tended to disappear, shown left. Brighter threads, or those just a bit lighter, tend to pop out from a field.
Generally, Gütermann 100% cotton thread (G for short) and Sulky cotton thread (S for short) in these colors for the areas named, with a couple of exceptions and a couple of unknown brands:
- G:828, 829 and 919 for the ivory areas including ivories in floral imagery;
- G 8740, 8780 and 2960 for the green areas;
- G 4880, 2453, 2030 (rust), Corticelli silk 4460, S 1147, 1057 (rust), and what appears to be Christmas Red (label gone) for the red areas;
- G 1720, 460, 462, 1680 (soft gold), 2030 (rust), 1640 (yellow), S 1070 (soft gold) for the orange areas
- G 5030, S 1190 (mauve), and various ivories (see top) for the pink areas
- for blacks, used an unknown cotton dark green and G 1001.
We are leaving long threads on our knots so our repairs can be found on the back side, as you can see in many images below.
Also, repairs were made prior to our client owning the piece, so we do not know when. There are cords, similar to a waxed cord, and it doesn’t make sense that they are original in most cases, evident in images above:
- Image 1, as attaching the green leaf to the white background on the bottom right leaf, but it doesn’t go all around the entire leaf which suggests it was a type of repair done later, possibly to strengthen the original connection;
- Image 2, a white cord and red cords, again, only used in a small area, from the warp repair on the top red floral area;
- Image 3, two types of cords. Pale yellow and white cord which was part of the sewing of the hem on the left-facing large orange flower, and is likely original. Then the white cord repair near our orange thread, we believe not to be original.
Because with only one exception — when the hem was created — the cords only exist in small areas, we think they were part of an earlier repair. In some instances our repairs went over the top of some of the older repairs which had loosened, and in the loosening sometimes showed the white cord in the separation.
STITCHES USED
One is a doubled and knotted stitch, shown right, which allows us to tie loose areas together for strength. This was by far the most used stitch. The second is a running stitch, not shown.
Note: A dilemma existed when the row’s original wool stitches which were separating had to be secured were in vastly divergent colors, such as as cream to red, or cream to green, or cream to green.
Shown left, above the LOWER GREEN
LEAF discussed below, is an example of
the cream into the rusty red.
When the colors were close I choose a thread that straddled the two, but light to dark colors was a difficult choice.
Finally I had to make a decision: it is going to be what it is, that is, no matter what color I chose, in some areas the reparation would be NOTICEABLE. I chose the best color in each instance and come in at an angle to hide it as best I can by embedding it into the woolen stitch, however, when inspected closely it will show slightly sometimes as it has to go into the stitch beyond the warp thread, shown left.
EXPOSED WARP LINES
When covering an exposed warp line I removed long tags of the original woolen yarn from the back shown below. Thankfully Mark Adams left long tags! I used my tiny old “English 8” crochet hook to pull the extra yarn across the warp line. Sometimes two yarn tags were used, following the woven pattern to the best of my ability.
Example right and below next to the LOWER GREEN LEAF at the bottom.
One issue in some of the woolen yarns was the slight fading of the front of the tapestry from the tag yarns, in which case I chose a yarn which looked best, not necessarily the tag from that area.
Example left, the true color of the yarn which has faded on the front to a soft brown. Below, long original orange yarn tags on the backside, cut and tied to and available to cover exposed warp.
SEPARATIONS
Few separating areas are caused from damage occurring: broken lines or pulled lines.
Right, an example of approximately
20 separations all due to the weight of the weave,
and possibly being bumped by the location in which the tapestry was placed.
Below right, a separation from the top area
that is approximately 1.5-inches long, and the weight of the tapestry constantly pulls it down,
and right, a small separation that looks like
a 3/4-inch hole in the tapestry.
More often, separations are part of the natural weave but our supposition is that they have carried immense weight for so many years, and the long unsupported open separations have simply pulled, causing them to appear more like holes. From time to time we decided they needed extra reinforcement depending upon their placement; it was evident some of the other damage began in these areas, where extreme force from the weight or area of the tapestry caused more stress. In these areas MPFC decided to support these separations with stitching.
DOCUMENTATION
In this post I will not be detailing and photographing every repair, as that would double the time (and price) for the project. We are showing a few areas as examples.
HANGING MECHANISM
Assessment images above.
We began at the top, by removing the hanging mechanism. The tapestry hung oddly; after inspecting it we decided it was not the fault of the hanging mechanism, but rather it needed new twill tape at the top, and needed to be attached in a more symmetrical manner with more staples. Presently they are placed every 4-inches; we will place them every 1.5-inches.
The handing mechanism images during excavation,
above; after removal, below.
The hanging mechanism was removed successfully using a small screwdriver and an upholstery staple remover. These are set aside until the entire tapestry is conserved and cleaned.
See the bottom of this post for the restoration of the hanging mechanism.
LOWER GREEN LEAF RUNNING
INTO THE RED FLOWER
Assessment images above.
The leaf was previously repaired with thick white cord, a detail shown left. We are not removing the white cord, but simply repairing it again as it has loosened or separated.
For most of this repair Gütermann 8740 (green) was used.
Note: This shows more stitching than will be shown in the rest of the documentation.
Below, the area after reparation, left, front side, and right, the backside.
Below, an example of stitching when the wool yarn colors were different but stitching was necessary. I used cream yarn (G 828) between the red and cream wool areas, and rust yarn (G 2030) between the red and green woolen areas.
Below, adjacent to the bottom flowers, several larger separations repaired without the process images. Expand and you can see the stitches clearly.
RIGHT-FACING RED FLOWER AT
EDGE AND BOTTOM: WARP COVERAGE ON
OLIVE/RUST AREA + SEPARATIONS
Assessment images above.
Apologies for the poor reaction the red wool had to flashes;
I took these before we saw the way the red wool responded to the flash bulb.
Unfortunately, sometimes that was the best photo.
This is true for all the red images that follow.
Five areas of warp were exposed due to missing yarn, which has happened in a few areas. It is further compounded by the fact that the rust yarn had faded on the front side to an olive green-brown, shown right, making the infill of the “rust’ difficult.
I’ve looked through my extensive yarn collection and could not find a good match, so had to use the brighter rusty yarn from the back. Fortunately, in most cases, the rust was sitting next to the orange-red or red yarn, so I doubled that up and made it work (see below for warp infill example.)
Nine areas of exposed warp were covered. Because of the short length of the tag yarn, I was unable to knot some of the warp coverage on the back.
Separations also occurred in this area, and I used Gütermann 2030 (rust) because the separations spanned red-to-brown, shown below.
LEFT FACING ORANGE FLOWER EDGE:
SEPARATIONS, WARP LOSSES,
AND BROKEN YARNS
Please excuse the variations in orange color; most is not due to a flash but for an unknown reason.
Assessment images above.
The left-facing edge of the orange flower is what prompted our client to have the tapestry conserved. 31-inches has many areas — some every 1/2-inch along the edge — where the separation is pulling the tapestry apart. On the rolled over and hemmed edge the warp line is showing through where the edge bends; I will not infill this unless I think it is due to yarn loss, and so far I see no yarn loss, just the bend exposing warp.
Above, the damaged edge and interior of the left-facing orange and red flower;
below, after treatment. The edge is strong and reinforced.
Color shift is out of my control; not from flash but the changes in light in the studio.
Some of this area was previously repaired or was reinforced at the time of the weaving, shown left as the white cords in the body of the tapestry back. Those repairs have loosened, and evidence can be seen on the back as bright white thick cord or colored cords as discussed under THREADS, above.
This area of flower will include the entire flower edge, and all the way into the center, approximately 24-inches x 16-inches.
The orange areas had about over a dozen exposed warp areas, example shown right and below. During reparation the exposed warp line was covered with the historic woolen tags from the back of the tapestry.
Images of the edge repairs begin at the top of the edge and work downward, broken into several sections below:
Above, shows an example of how I repaired the top edge
and moving inward; this was done in all the
areas shown along the left-facing side.
Above, the middle left-facing edge area and moving inward.
Above, detail of a rather large rip on the left-facing edge
toward the bottom of the orange flower.
Above, the bottom of the left-facing edge and moving inward.
Above, an example of other pulled areas:
The orange woolen yarn were tags removed from the back of the field.
It was gently pulled from behind back to be level with the field.
Above, the lower left-facing edge and moving inwards,
showing stitching completed.
MOST of the woolen losses which expose warp lines appear to occur around the olive areas, where olive wool meets other variations of orange wools. The threads used for these repairs are Gütermann 460 (soft orange) and 2030 (rust) for the few that are between orange wool areas.
RED FLOWERS AT TOP
Assessment images above.
I’m not sure what happened with my camera every time I was imaging the red flowers, but it didn’t like the bright red. It vibrated and/or lost detail in almost every photo. In the process images I could not go back for a second attempt!
Separation repairs were stitched in black, magenta, red and red-orange areas of the flower, shown below, and the adjoining leaf, shown right.
An example of a separation area that was
being pulled open, and the reparation, above.
Below, various missing warp and/or separations before treatment.
Close to two dozen areas of missing yarn over visible warp lines were infilled on the flower:
- G 4880, 2453, 2030 (rust), Corticelli silk 4460, S 1147, 1057 (rust), and what appears to be Christmas Red (label gone) for the red areas
Below, after treatment.
PINK FLOWERS TOP/MIDDLE
Assessment images above.
Sample reparation shown below.
Completed treatment below.
- G:828, 829 and 919 for the ivory areas including ivories in floral imagery;
- G 5030, S 1190 (mauve), and various ivories (see top) for the pink areas.
ORANGE/YELLOW FLOWERS
TOP-CENTER/RIGHT
Assessment images above.
Sample treatment below.
Sample treatment below.
Sample treatment below.
Infill images shown below.
- G:828, 829 and 919 for the ivory areas including ivories in floral imagery;
- G 1720, 460, 462, 1680 (soft gold), 2030 (rust), 1640 (yellow), S 1070 (soft gold) for the orange areas
Treatment of separations, infill, warp coverage was completed.
The tapestry was sent to cleaned by Atiyeh Brothers.
After cleaning, we had one last item, the attachment of the hanging mechanism.
HANGING MECHANISM
After the tapestry was cleaned, we decided to change course on our initial assessment of how to hang the tapestry.
It was apparent that doubling the twill tape thickness would be beneficial for the weight of this tapestry. As the original twill tape was in good condition, and the placement was appropriate, we decided to use it as the second layer of the tape.
The original twill was inspected again in detail prior to adding the new twill tape. The original twill tape had come undone in the center, and was securely re-stitched, shown left.
Each end of the tape was released and lifted from the tapestry. Our new twill tape, the same width and weight, was laid over the original tape. The new tape ends were cut so they could wrap under the original ends of the original twill tape. They were hemmed and stitched into place. The new twill tape was stitched onto the header as shown above.
Note: It was impossible to stitch the second row in a straight line due to yarn knots below the area I was stitching. I had to find my way around these knots.
The two layers of twill tape were stapled to the header every 1-1.5 inches, shown above, in order to hang the tapestry in a more uniform manner by distributing the weight across the header uniformly.
After adding the twill tape, I went back and made one more modification to the ends to allow the tapestry to hang properly without the upper corners bending in, shown above.
AFTER TREATMENT
Voted the project I most hated to see leave the studio…
The dimples and such will fall out as the tapestry hangs.
We considered steaming it before sending it home,
but did not want to risk shrinkage.
Above, the conserved tapestry.
Below, details, glorious details!
dkatiepowell @ aol.com / mitchellrpowell @ aol.com
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503.970.2509 / 541.531.2383
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What a beautiful piece! No wonder you didn’t want to see it leave your studio. Just curious, Kate: Do you work only on one piece at a time or do you have multiple projects ongoing?
Hi Lois! Between Mitchell and I we have at least two projects going, but by myself I usually am working, within the week, on 2-5 projects. I usually have a shellac schedule, such as Monday and Thursday, so shellacked projects are worked on on those days. When I am also doing textiles, and I am working on a lot of them these days, I still often switch between two, largely because handstitching can make the muscles in your hands to sore if you don’t change things up. While I was stitching the large tapestry I also worked on a quilt that eventually I will finish and show. Even changing from sort of big stitch projects like the tapestry to small stitching efforts on a quilt can help my hands, along with rest by shellacking in between! Then there are estimates… and the blog… every two weeks I am usually spending a day on that. It is pretty varied work.
Whew! I’m guessing that is what keeps it all fun and interesting–being able to switch up all the different jobs. Your work is absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much Lois!