Lot 280
A.W.N. PUGIN (1812-1852) OR E.W. PUGIN (1834-1875)
NEEDLEWORK RUG, CIRCA 1850
Auction: Day One inc Contents from a London Apartment | Lots 197 to 333 | Wednesday 15th October
Description
wool, with later linen backing, with later cotton binding to each end, the panel a section of a larger carpet
Dimensions
218cm x 149cm
Provenance
St. Leonards - Mayfield Chapel, Mayfield, Sussex, England.
Footnote
The remains of a medieval palace, formerly owned by the Archbishops of Canterbury, were adapted by Edward Welby Pugin between 1863 and 1866 to house Mayfield School of the Holy Child. A particularly noteworthy feature from this period is a needlework rug that once extended the full length of the Chapel. Due to the scale of the undertaking, the rug was produced in smaller, panelled sections, which were subsequently joined to form a continuous carpet. This hand-stitched work was executed by the sisters of Mayfield Chapel for Mother Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Consistent with his other projects, E. W. Pugin is believed to have drawn upon decorative designs originally conceived by his father, which may have informed the ornamentation of this rug.