To My Only Desire

 Last week, on my favorite blog BoingBoing, I came across a post about artist Joey Syta who has spent two years creating a one third size replica of the À Mon Seul Désir panel of The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, ALL IN Lite-Brites -- approximately 55,000 pegs.  This happens to be my very favorite tapestry in the world, one that I stop in and commune with whenever I'm in Paris.  It's in a fabulous round room at the Musée National du Moyen Âge (aka the Cluny Museum) in the Latin Quarter.


Here is the original:

À Mon Seul Désir (written on tent)

This panel is the sixth (or the first?) in series of tapestries made in the fifteenth century which were rediscovered in France in the early 18th century (purportedly by George Sand).   Much ink has been spilled in the years since trying to decipher the meaning of this tapestry.  The other five are now universally agreed to represent the five senses (see below).....but what of the last tapestry?  What is her desire?  The unicorn?  or a closer union with the heavenly father?  In that case is she renouncing earthly (sensual) pleasures, symbolically indicated by the placement of her necklace (worn in the previous five panels) into a box?  This seems to be the reigning interpretation at the moment, that freedom from the passions of the senses would ensure proper (aka moral) behavior.....Liberium arbitrium, so to speak.

However, I have my own interpretation.  I think the lady is telling her lover (symbolized by the unicorn of course) that she is ready to give herself completely to him, embracing all the senses.  The blue tent stands as a medieval "love shack" and the lady is actually beginning to disrobe (and as every woman knows, the first thing you do is take off your jewelry).

What do you think?  The thing I can't figure out is why William Morris never wrote about these tapestries (or did he? anyone?).  He had to have known about them --- not only did numerous writers write about them (Sand, Rilke, Cocteau...), Morris was clearly also an expert in the field of medieval tapestry.  I'm surprised he didn't write a book about them.

note added 1/29/10:  It was pointed out to me today that my hypothesis does not explain the presence of the lion in each tapestry and is therefore incomplete.  I agree.  I will continue to ponder the significance of the lion as I pursue my Grand Unified Theory (GUT) of the Unicorn Tapestries.

 

smell (making wreath of flowers/monkey smells flower)

 

hearing (lady playing organ)

 

sight (unicorn looks at his reflection in mirror)

 touch (lady gently touches unicorn's horn)

 

 

taste (lady eats sweets)

P.S. while we're on the subject of tapestries: here is a link to an article about contemporary artists working in the medium of tapestries that was in the NY Times yesterday.

"Vote Alan Measles for God" (2008), Grayson Perry

Jangseung, Korean totem poles

Standing guard at the Korean Folk Museum

 

The lost ent tribe of Tolkien?

 

 

Keeping a wary eye on the stone guy

Lost map to Middle Earth? --- or a village juristiction map from 1878

It always amazes me how much similarity is found in craft and traditions around the world.  Jangseung, or Korean totem poles, were placed at the entrances of villages in hopes of warding off evil spirits (or evil visitors presumably).  They also could be used to delineate boundaries between "townships" and are believed to extend back to prehistoric times.  Maybe the totem pole tradition migrated across the Bering land bridge at the end of the last ice age?

Gilding the lily with Golden Lily

Rob Bennett for The New York Times

Found this in today's NYTimes Home section -- a spontaneous street project by Finley, a 34-year-old artist that goes by her surname.  I'm not sure exactly what she is trying to say....why can't a dumpster be pretty too?   I like the irony of using that particular Morris pattern/wallpaper.  Finley, please come to my city!

Rob Bennett for The New York Times

Carl Jung and his Big Red Book

A very private press....

 

 

 

 

 

The designs and color (Red) in yesterday's post reminded me of a huge event that recently occurred in the world of books and psychology -- the publication last October of Carl Jung's mythical, long-hidden, self-analytical tour-de-force, the Red Book which he wrote between 1914 and 1930.  Three months later it is in its fifth printing (available from Amazon here).  In the seemingly over-the-top words of the Philemon Foundation, which is dedicated to the publication of the complete works of Jung, "While Jung considered the Red Book, or Liber Novus (New Book) to be the central work in his oeuvre, it has remained unpublished till this day, and unavailable for study and unseen by the public at large. The work can be best described as a work of psychology in a literary and prophetic form. It is possibly the most influential unpublished work in the history of psychology. Its publication is a watershed that inaugurates a new era in the understanding of Jung’s life and work."  

Sounds exciting!  If you want to see the real thing, the Red Book is being exhibited at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan until February 15th, then it travels to the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and then goes to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. in June.  

I can't help but wonder if Jung was aware of, or inspired by, William Morris and/or his illuminated manuscripts (see this earlier post).

 

The Red Book

A door that makes you never want to leave...

The inside of the entrance door to Red House

It is hard for me to describe how beautiful I find this door (you must click to enlarge).  It is in Red House, a house built and furnished for and by Morris in collaboration with his friend and architect Philip Webb (while they were in their twenties!).  The door captures everything I love about Morris and his art -- how he takes his "formal" wallpaper (in this case Apple) and pairs it with this wacky fun paint job.  Is it medieval? or modern hipster?  It's certainly very cool.  The picture is from a lovely book "William Morris and Red House" by Jan Marsh.

New year, new decade!

Today the holidays are officially over for me -- back at work and kids heading back to school.  Over the last week, like many others, I have reflected on what was accomplished in 2009 and what 2010 will hold (many surprises I hope!).  The biggest change for me in 2009 was my youngest child moving out in August.  A few weeks after he left, the idea for this blog popped almost fully formed into my mind, name and all.  I set it up and gave it a shot, not really knowing if I would be able to keep it going.  Now four months and 70 posts later I am enjoying this experience more than ever, in large part because of all the interesting people whose paths I've crossed in the ether -- the artists, the writers, the crafters, the Morris fans.  You are regularly checking in from every continent (except Antarctica, I'll work on that) and I hope that in my future travels I may meet those of you who have generously offered to show me local Morris sites and even their studios!  Thank you all for enriching my life.

Other unanticipated benefits of WMFC:  This project has sent me to my books and to the internet many times to research posts; Amazon is doing a brisk business with me as I find ever more topics to investigate.  Not only have I learned much more about Morris, but I have been reading about many other artists such as William de Morgan, H. H. Richardson, Gertrude Jekyll and Charles Voysey (you'll be hearing more about these folks).  The blog is also forcing me to learn more about my camera but I really have to credit the beauty of the subject matter for any perceived success in this arena.  Finally, I've learned a lot about blogging and html code and hope I can figure out how to customize some more aspects of my blog page before too long.

I'd like to thank three people in particular here -- each gave me encouragement early on that I really took to heart.  One is my friend Dan Cooper of Cottage Lace, an acknowledged expert on late 19th/early 20th century Arts and Crafts and interior design.   Dan, thanks for everything you've taught me over the years and for letting me play in your sandbox!  Can we go to Olana soon?  The second person is Margaret, writer of the beautiful blog "The Earthly Paradise".  Margaret, many many thanks for the early and enthusiastic shout-out (and continuing tweets) which no doubt have helped many find my blog!  The last person I'd like to thank is Prof. Tony Pinkney, a well-known Morris scholar who writes the blog "William Morris Unbound".  As a fellow university professor (in a field that has nothing to do with Morris), I have a first-hand appreciation of how academics can savage people they feel are intruding on (or worse, trivializing) their domain, especially if they don't have the requisite Ph.D.  Tony, a heartfelt thanks for your positive comments and support!  I always look forward to reading, and learning from, your posts (I had to get out my Mythology fandeck and my dictionary for the last one). 

What's ahead in 2010?  Lots of travel, mostly work-related but as I do not have to be home for kids (empty nest bonus) I'm sure I will find time to visit new museums, old buildings, and local craft markets along the way.  I leave for eight days in Seoul next week and my guidebook from Amazon should show up on my porch soon.

I'll end with a few of my favorite pics from the last four months that speak to Morris's continuing influence on the modern world of art and design.  Morris unbound!

Wishing you all the best in 2010,

mo

Artist David Mabb, Morris/Fruit, Rodchenko/Triple Peaks (2006)
original post

Artist Dan Funderburgh
original post 

Artist Dan Funderburgh

"a repudiation of the fabricated schism between art and decoration"
original post

"Kabloom" by Flavor Paper
original post

 Artist Mattias Adolfsson, "William Morris I Salute You" 
original post
 

William Morris and the Private Press Movement

 William Morris, The well at the world’s end (Printed by Kelmscott Press, 1896)

 

  A Book of Verse, 1870

A Book of Verse, 1870

 

The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Printed by Kelmscott Press, 1896

 

Odes of Horace, 1874

   

 

"The Nature of Gothic" By John Ruskin Printed by Kelmscott Press, 1892

 A Book of Verse, 1870

Morris must have had some extra time on his hands in 1890 so he decided to found yet another movement -- the Private Press Movement.  Private Press refers to books manufactured with traditional methods of printing and binding with the goal of producing a book that not only conveys information but is also a work of art.  Art and craft as one.  Morris founded Kelmscott Press to realize his vision of books as works of art, producing more than 18,000 copies of 53 different works between 1891 and 1898.

Here is a link to a wonderful on-line archive of Morris book pages/illustrations curated by Dr. Florence Boos of the University of Iowa.  She is currently President of the William Morris Society in the U.S. which definitely qualifies her as a fan!

Michael Peterson: Evolution | Revolution

 

Coastal Stack IV, 2008

 

?

 Coastal Stack V, 2008

 

 Teardrop, 1987

From the San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design: "Michael Peterson's poetic wood sculptures are deeply inspired by his environment in the Pacific Northwest.  This exhibit follows the artist's unique trajectory from his early works to his most current organic abstract forms realized through the mastery of the chainsaw."

I like the idea of someone whose artistic vision was enhanced through mastery of a chainsaw.

Amish Quilts at the de Young Museum

 

 The exhibit catalog

After all the glitz of King Tut it was great to go upstairs for a little "comfort" art -- almost fifty Amish quilts from the late 19th and early 20th century.  Like in the Tut exhibit, I was again struck by how modern these pieces looked even though some were over a hundred years old.  This special exhibition is titled "Amish Abstractions: Quilts from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown" and it will be on display until June 6, 2010.  Great gift shop stuff!

Everywhere the Glint of Gold

"strange animals, statues and gold—everywhere the glint of gold."   Archeologist Howard Carter, describing his discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922.

This past Sunday I visited the de Young Museum in San Francisco where I saw the King Tut exhibit.  It was fantastic!  The treasures found in his tomb included many pieces of his household furniture, made around 1350 B.C.  Check out the imitation leopard skin campaign stool with the swan legs---too cool.

 Tutankhamun's Throne

 Cabinet with Hieroglyphic Fretwork

Royal bed

Imitation Leopard Skin Stool

Hope Chest 

Cow Mehetweret Bed Couch

Another stool

The tomb