John Piper: The Fabric of Modernism

John Piper: The Fabric
of Modernism
12 March 2016 - 12 June 2016
Exhibition Notes : Learning Through Art
Designed to support teachers and students as they explore the exhibition
• Looking Together: Ideas on how to engage with art during your visit to Pallant House Gallery
• Exhibition Overview: An introduction to the current exhibition
• About the Artist: A brief biography of the artist
• Pre-visit Activities: Useful links and pre-visit ideas
• Key Themes: An introduction to each section
• Works in Focus: Discussion questions to facilitate open-ended exploration
• References and Connections: Artists and art historical terms mentioned in the text
Looking Together
These notes are aimed to help you and your students think in terms of shapes, colours and space,
to develop the skills and techniques to focus on an object, identify its essential elements and to find
meaning and build a visual vocabulary.
Try to keep group numbers to a minimum so everyone can see the work and have time to participate
in the discussion.
Use this line of questioning when looking at the Works in Focus.
Observation
-
Description
-
Interpretation
-
Connection
Observation
Approach the work and take a closer look.
Encourage your students to take a “visual
inventory” of the art work, focusing on it
and noticing details.
Take the time to look.
Where is the
figure in relation to
the building?
Description
Describe the work as a group to establish an understanding
of what is being seen.
What lines and
shapes do you see in
this drawing?
It is useful to start by simply listing what everyone sees.
Remember to explore the formal properties of the work, as
well as naming recognizable objects, for example consider:
Line and Shape as well as Colour and Composition
Material and Technique
Subject matter
By looking closely at this
painting, can you describe
the brushstrokes?
This process allows a wide range of participation and will
benefit future interpretation.
Once you feel that the group has thoroughly described the
work, summarize all the elements mentioned and point out
any important details that have been missed.
What is implied by the way these
two figures are interacting?
Interpretation
Interpretation is about assigning meaning to various elements of
the work and thinking about its overall significance. Encourage
breadth and variety, and use ideas generated to expand the
conversation.
Ask questions that prompt your students to reflect on what is
not clearly visible in the work but perhaps merely suggested.
Time and Place, Narrative and Mood
What overall mood
is conveyed in this
photograph?
Artist’s Intention and Biographical Information
Historical and Social Context
Balance your questions by sharing some of the interesting
facts in these notes, make connections and encourage
further discussion.
How does this painting
make you feel?
Connection
Why do you think the
artist used these found
objects together to
create this sculpture?
Encourage your students to connect the work to their life
experiences as well as wider cultural and social events.
Personal Life Experience and Emotional Effect
Personal Opinion
Do you like this
painting?
Cultural Changes and World Events
Artwork by different artists
Summary
Toward the end of the discussion of each work,
bring together the various threads of conversation,
summarizing and synthesizing the points you have
talked about.
How does this drawing
of a landscape compare
to the painting next
to it that depicts the
same scene?
Exhibition Overview
T
his major exhibition is the first to focus on
John Piper’s textile designs. His engagement
with textiles included designs for headscarves,
furniture fabrics, tapestries and ecclesiastical
vestments. Shown alongside his paintings,
sketches and other material, this exhibition
reveals how Piper was exceptionally adept at
transferring techniques, ideas and key motifs
from one medium to another.
This exhibition also offers the opportunity to
consider how Piper responded to a wide range of
commissions. Each with its own unique demands
and purpose, whilst creating a body of work that
had a coherence and clarity of artistic vision.
From the mid-1940s Piper became increasingly
involved in what he termed the ‘delegated arts’;
handing over his designs to specialist craft makers.
Piper was to work alongside manufacturers of
liturgical vestments, stained glass artists and
weavers from France, Edinburgh, Namibia, Culcutta
and closer to home, West Sussex. This exhibition
showcases some of the beautiful results of these
unique creative partnerships.
As early as 1941, Piper had taken part in an
exhibition entitled Designs for Textiles by Twelve
Fine Artists1, although it wasn’t until 1947 that a
design for a printed fabric was to be realised. This
came from a commission from Zika Ascher for a
design that could be translated onto a silk square.
There followed an exhibition at the Institute
of Contemporary Arts, London (ICA) entitled
Painting into Textiles to which Piper contributed a
number of designs.
Advert, Living Art Fabrics, David Whitehead Ltd.
John Piper, Figures from a Cretean Seal, 1956 Screenprinted
cotton satin. Publ. by David Whitehead Ltd., Lancashire,
Private Collection
His first long-term working partnership was
with the textile company David Whitehead Ltd.
A group of Piper’s paintings were produced
as fabric designs in 1954-55. Further fabrics
based on Piper’s designs were issued in the late
1950s and Piper continued to work with the
company until the end of the 1960s.
Further commissions came from the fashionable
supplier of wallpapers and textiles, Arthur
Sanderson & Sons. As part of their centenary
celebrations they commissioned Piper to create
five fabric designs. At this time, Sanderson was
the only textile producer in Europe that had the
technology to automatically screen-print up to
twenty colours. Piper made full use of this by
designing fabrics that could be translated into
complex colour ways.
Significantly, in 1952 Piper received a
commission to design an ecclesiastical vestment
for Walter Hussey (1909-1985), the then
vicar of St Matthew’s church, Northampton.
This was to lead to a larger and more important
commission some ten years later. Hussey was
by then the Dean of Chichester Cathedral and
he approached Piper to produce a reredos for
the cathedral. This led to Piper designing his
first tapestry. The exhibition marks the 50th
anniversary of the installation of the Chichester
Cathedral tapestry.
Piper was to design further ecclesiastical
vestments. This included commissions from
Coventry Cathedral; to which he was linked by
his wartime paintings as well as the stained glass
window he had designed for the Baptistery,
and St Pauls Cathedral, London. Following his
Chichester Tapestry, Piper received numerous
commissions and during the 1970s and
1980s he designed almost thirty more unique
tapestries; primarily for public buildings.
This exhibition highlights Piper’s versatility as
an artist. His artistic style continued to grow
and flourish through the creative partnerships
he formed. It found a new and unique voice in
each different media he chose to work in. His
was not the life of an artist, solely focused on
his own personal artistic journey, but one who
was part of the times. He is justly regarded as
a leading modern British artist and designer of
the 20th century.
Words which are underlined refer to the
References and Connection section at the
end of these notes.
About the Artist
John Egerton
Christmas Piper
( 1903 - 1992)
J
ohn Piper was a highly regarded painter
of abstract compositions, landscapes and
architecture; especially country houses and bomb
damaged churches. In the post-war years he
developed his career to become a leading designer
for the theatre, of stained glass windows, murals,
furnishing fabric and tapestries. He was also a
writer and life-long advocate of the arts.
Born in Epsom, Surrey on 13 December 1903,
he was the youngest of three sons to a solicitor,
Charles Alfred Piper. Piper spent much of his
childhood out exploring on his bike; drawing old
churches and monuments. He made his own
guides, with photographs, drawings and brief
written descriptions. These can be seen as a
precursor to The Shell Guide to Oxon that he
was commissioned to write and illustrate by John
Betjeman in 1937-8. Piper recalled his twelve
year old self:
‘... busy looking at buildings and sketching them,
but I suddenly saw vividly that a building was not
just a picturesque or ugly object, but a sum of its
parts, and that of these parts the openings are
about the most important; also, that you couldn’t
draw a building until you understood a bit about
what its builders were aiming at.’ 2
This understanding, that the aesthetics of a place
should be combined with its history, was to be
a continuous thread that would weave itself
through all his work; as was his belief that the
study of native traditions could inspire and feed
into modern art.
In the mid-1930s Piper made a dedicated effort
to photograph and record Anglo-Saxon and
Romanesque carvings found in parish churches. In
these he noted ‘the purely non-figurative artists
of some early Northumbrian ... crosses were the
forbears of the pure abstractionists of today...
Many a Picasso-like profile is to be found on
twelfth-century fonts and capitals’.3
John Piper at Fawley (with Foliate Head tapestry), 1990 ,
photograph by Nicholas Sinclair
Piper attended Epsom College from 1919 1922. His ambition to study to be an artist was
thwarted by his father’s wish that he join the
family law firm; Piper, Smith & Piper. In 1927
Piper was finally able to go to Richmond School of
Art. He subsequently attended the Royal College
of Art, London (RCA) from 1928 until 1929;
when he left without obtaining a qualification. He
married fellow student Eileen Holding in 1929.
During the 1930s he began to create collages,
inspired by the work of George Braque. They
included paper doilies and newspaper and were
often based on a seaside or harbour theme.
When he became a member of the Seven and
Five Society in 1934, five of his collages were
shown in their annual exhibition.
Through Ivon Hitchens, a fellow Seven and Five
artist, Piper met Mary Myfanwy Evans. In 1936,
after the end of his first marriage, they moved into
a farmhouse at Fawley Bottom in the Chilterns,
near Henley-on-Thames. They married in 1937.
Although Piper had yet to produce a totally
abstract work he was aware of the changes
happening in Europe and the work of many of the
émigré artists who had moved to Paris; which
became a centre for abstract or non-figurative art.
In 1935 Piper made his first fully abstract
constructed reliefs and paintings. The flat,
sharp-edged areas of colour, arranged in vertical
formations offer a suggestion of the linear
structure which was to reappear in many of his
later stained glass and textile designs. Six of his
abstract works were hung in the Seven and Five’s
October 1935 exhibition.4
By the mid-1930s Piper had begun to react
against what he saw as the limitations of aligning
oneself to just one artistic movement and
approach. He began to revisit earlier interests
and explore the richness of the English landscape
and architecture; with its Romantic tradition of
finding meaning in the particularities of a scene
or place.
Just before the war Piper had begun to paint
ruined abbeys, as well as old cottages and
barns. He also undertook a number of private
commissions to paint country houses; including
Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire, for Sir Osbert Sitwell
and Knole House, Kent for Edward Sackville-West.
During the war Piper continued to write articles
and was a regular contributor to The Spectator
until 1944. As an outstanding recorder of
England’s topographical and architectural heritage
he was also well placed to take part in the
‘Recording Britain’ scheme.
With the bombing raids dramatically altering the
landscape, the War Artist’s Advisory Committee
(WAAC) commissioned Piper to paint a series of
pictures of damaged churches. These included
Coventry Cathedral, damaged in November
1940, as well as churches in Bristol, Bath, London
and Newport Pagnell.
Throughout his artistic life, collaborations were
important to Piper and fuelled his artistic output.
One new venture was Contemporary Lithographs
Ltd, launched with Robert Wellington in 1936.
Piper also collaborated with John Betjeman on
the Shell Guides and produced pottery with
Geoffrey Eastop. He also worked on stage
designs and costumes for the theatre and ballet. This act of collaboration with other craft makers
played a central role in realising his church
John Piper, Redland Park Congregational Church, Bristol,
1940, Oil on canvas, Kearley Bequest, through the National
Art Collection Fund (1989)]
vestments, stained-glass windows, murals and
textiles, which made up much of his later work.
During the 1940s Piper was increasingly
approached to allow his paintings to be translated
into designs for printed textiles. His paintings
were included in two exhibitions which focused
on the link between fine art and textiles; Designs
for Textiles by Twelve Fine Artists, 1941 and
Painting into Textiles, 1953.
Following this exhibition Piper was approached
by the Lancashire-based textiles company David
Whitehead Ltd. to develop designs for textiles
from his work. Piper would continue to work with
the company until the end of the 1960s.
From the mid-1950s Piper’s involvement with
stained glass developed. He became England’s
most outstanding stained glass designer and
continued to work with the medium for 30 years.
In the course of almost sixty commissions Piper
proved to be remarkably innovative, versatile
and expressive in the solutions he found to fit the
needs of various buildings and clients. Of critical
importance to his work was his association with
the craftsman Patrick Reyntiens.
Their first commission was for the chapel at
Oundle School, Northamptonshire, 1956. The
success of this project was widely recognized
and led to numerous other major commissions;
including Eton College Chapel, the new Coventry
Cathedral and St Andrews, Plymouth.
In 1960 the textile company Arthur Sanderson
& Sons Ltd. commissioned not only a stained
glass window for their new modern London
headquarters, but also five fabric designs.
These drew inspiration from his work in stained
glass as well as his paintings of architecture and
the landscape.
When in 1964 the Dean of Chichester
approached Piper to make a work for the high
altar and sanctuary, it was to be the beginning
of Piper’s involvement with designing tapestries.
The Chichester Tapestry was installed in 1966.
During the 1970s and 1980s Piper continued to
design unique and vibrant tapestries; mostly for
public buildings.
Piper wrote extensively on art and contributed
to numerous magazines and newspapers.
These included Axis - A Quarterly Review of
Contemporary “Abstract” Painting & Sculpture,
edited by Myfanwy Piper as well as Horizon,
Architectural Review and The Spectator.
Piper died at his home at Fawley Bottom,
Buckinghamshire, in 1992.
John Piper, Design for 3-light windows, Oundle School
Chapel, 1952, mixed media
Pre-visit Activities
Visit
Chichester Cathedral to look at Piper’s
tapestry in situ.
What is a gallery?
Discuss what a gallery is and what is
special about looking at original artwork in
comparison to a reproduction.
Who are galleries for?
Ask about any other galleries or museums
they have been to and what they saw there?
Look
Have a look at other work by John Piper to
get a feel of how the work shown in this
exhibition fits with his wider body of work.
Consider work by some of the diverse
artists that inspired Piper - for example
Samuel Palmer (1805-1881) key figure
in English romantic landscape painting;
George Braque (1882-1963) leading
figure in cubism or Ben Nicholson (18941982) especially during the 1930s.
Find examples of medieval stained glass consider their use of colour and forms to
create both a narrative scene and a visual
pattern. For example Chartres Cathedral
which was visited by Piper in the 1950s.
Techniques
Try out these techniques. Think about how
they differ and their individual technical
processes. How does the medium you
work in influence the look of your design?
Look at examples of early English or 12th
century church sculpture. For example the
font at Toller Fratrum, a parish church in
Dorset, photographed by Piper in 1935.
Painting
Collage
Screen printing - creating a repeat pattern.
Weaving
Stained glass
Think like a Curator
The role of a curator is to decide on the theme of the exhibition, choose what artworks to display
and where to put them.
As you explore the exhibition, think about the following:
•
•
•
•
•
What is the theme of this exhibition?
Why have certain artworks been put together?
Is there anything you would put in a different place? and why?
What was your favourite artwork? and why?
Which artwork did you least like? and why?
Key Theme: Painting into Textiles: The
Ambassador, Ascher and David Whitehead Ltd.
P
iper’s first design for a textile appeared on
the cover of International Textiles magazine
in 1944. It was composed of painterly vignettes
of stately homes set on a deep blue background
and was related to an article written by Piper
on ‘The Colour of English Country Houses’.
Amidst wartime austerity the design itself was
probably never produced as a printed fabric, but
it revealed Piper’s interest in the translation of
his paintings into designs for textiles.
Piper’s first realised printed textile design
was in 1947 for Ascher Ltd. They had the
idea of approaching leading artists to design
headscarves, which would be printed on 36in
(90cm) silk squares. Published in a limited edition
of 175, Piper’s design, Medieval Heads, 1946
featured a repeat image of a lady wearing a shawl
with a central floral motif. The bottle-green
image of the head reflected the artist’s passion
for medieval stained glass; which was to be a
powerful creative stimulus for much of his career.
His paintings were included in a number of
exhibitions that promoted this link between
paintings and design. The first was entitled
Designs for Textiles by Twelve Fine Artists in
1941. The second was held at the Institute of
Contemporary Arts (ICA), London titled Painting
into Textiles, 1953. The contributing artists
included some of the most famous figures in
post-war contemporary art, including Eileen
Agar, Terry Frost, Ivon Hitchens, Peter Lanyon,
Henry Moore, Eduardo Paolozzi, Victor Pasmore,
Ceri Richards and Graham Sutherland.
As was noted in the catalogue that accompanied
the ICA exhibition, ‘the artists were not asked
to produce textile designs, but paintings which
might well be an inspiration’. It was felt that the
fact that some were not acquainted with the
technique or considerations that need to be made
when creating a fabric design would ‘paradoxically
become an asset’ and prove to be ‘the spark for an
unexpected and even startling designs’.
In the post-war years there was a great deal of
interest in the idea of creating a more democratic
John Piper, Medieval Head - Ascher Square, 1947
Screenprinted silk. Published by Ascher Ltd. Victoria and
Albert Museum
approach towards the arts. One way was through
incorporating artist’s designs into fabric. This
would enable a wider number of people to have
access to modern art and design in their homes.
Piper was approached by the design-consultant
to the Lancashire-based textiles company David
Whitehead Ltd. In 1954-55 five paintings were
produced as fabric designs, including see Work
in Focus: Abstract, Church Monument, Exton,
Figures from a Cretan Seal, Blenheim Gates and
see Work in Focus: Foliate Heads.
All five designs contained an abstract quality;
with strong use of colour areas and bold lines.
This enabled them to work as effective repeat
patterns which is required in fabric design.
Abstract is the only purely abstract design.
The other designs contain motifs which would
be reworked throughout his career; church
architecture and stately homes, elongated figures
and foliate heads.
Further fabrics based on Piper’s designs were
issued by David Whitehead Ltd. in the late 1950s
and again in 1968. This last series of designs
were part of the Living Art Fabrics range. These
abstract designs were much more ‘painterly’ than
his earlier designs, closely reflecting Piper’s style
of painting in the 1960s.
Through his bold and exciting designs Piper
contributed to the reputation of the company
which has been recognised as ‘indisputably the
most progressive textile manufacturer in Britain
during the 1950s’.5
John Piper, Brittany Beach, 1961-2 Lithograph on paper,
Private collection
Work in Focus: Abstract, 1955
Screenprinted rayon, Publ. by David Whitehead Ltd., Lancashire
Private Collection
Look + Discuss
Observation - Description - Interpretation - Connection
Describe the colours and shapes you can see
in the fabric design Abstract, 1955
In the fabric design, the bands of vertical
forms are picked out in a range of black, light,
mid and dark greys, white and orange. These
are intersected with semi-circular shapes,
represented as both solid grey and outlines, as
well as blue triangles and yellow and red forms.
Do the shapes remind you of anything?
In his abstract paintings of the 1930s Piper
often drew inspiration from nautical shapes and
colours. Describing the sea as a powerful emotive
agent Piper’s distinct abstract language of form,
line and colour has been described as deriving
from ‘nautical objects, in the shapes and colours
of buoys, staysails, masts and hulls of boats’.
Abstract was based on one of Piper’s geometric
paintings, Abstract Painting, 1935. The painting
reveals the impact of Piper’s trip to Paris in the
mid-1930s. Here he saw cubist paper collages
by George Braque; an artist he greatly admired,
as well as the abstract work of Alexander
Calder and Jean Hélion. It also reflects Piper’s
closeness, at the time, to Ben Nicholson and
their shared interest in the development of
international modernism.
Look closely at how the different coloured
shapes are arranged to suggest a layering
effect. How does this affect the pattern?
In both the painting and the subsequent fabric
design, there is a suggestion of collage; with
irregular shapes in differing colours appearing to
be layered one on top of the other. In the early
1930s Piper had experimented with collage, often
representing harbour and beach scenes. In 1936,
after a period of creating abstract work, Piper
wanted to reintroduce representational elements
back into his paintings. He turned again to both the
beach and to collage as a source of inspiration.
The pairing of yellow and blue and greys and
red against a white backdrop creates an overall
pattern of coolness and balance, which gives it a
modern feel.
Can you spot how the design is repeated?
A repeat pattern is important when you want
the design or motif to be reproduced to varying
lengths, for instance in wallpaper or fabric.
Further Ideas
• Examine the role contemporary art plays
in society. Where do you tend to see it?
How does it enter your everyday life?
• Compare how you feel if you see a work
of art in a frame or on a piece of fabric?
• Create your own repeat pattern - print
it out and see how it works.
• Look around your own home /
classroom, what patterns can you see?
Visiting various stretches of coast along the
south coast as well as the north coast of Wales
he would venture forth with a big sketchbook full
of scraps of coloured paper, pen and ink, a pair
of scissors, and a bottle of gum, as well as old
blotting paper, home-made marbled paper, and
discarded sheet music. With these ingredients he
would make collages on the spot.
Related Works
Abstract Painting, 1935
oil on canvas on panel, Private collection
Work in Focus: Foliate Heads, 1954
Publ. by David Whitehead Ltd., Lancashire,
Private collection ©The Piper Estate / DACS 2015
Look + Discuss
Observation - Description - Interpretation - Connection
What can you see?
In this design Piper has used two versions of
an abstract head. Referred to as foliate heads,
they were traditionally used as decorative
architectural ornaments; often found in stained
glass or carved in stone or wood. They can
be found on both secular and ecclesiastical
buildings. The face is often surrounded by
or made from leaves with branches or vines
sprouting from the nose or mouth.
Piper’s interpretation of this ancient form was
strongly informed by the modernist influences
of the cubist abstractions of Picasso and Braque;
whose work he greatly admired. In this design the
faces are an irregular rectangular shape, made
up of patches of contrasting colours, framed
within rectangular panels. The use of geometric
shapes and the economy in depicting the foliage,
contrasts with the more traditionally rounded,
often abundant carvings.
The panels are linked together by three
interconnecting lines, set against a darker grid
-like background.
Look closely at the use of colour.
The design is made up of a pair of heads. In one
head one half of the face is blue set next to a
bottle-green area of colour, which has black lines
hatched over the top, reminiscent of the lead
work in medieval stained glass. The eyes and
mouth have been picked out in white, from which
protrude blue sprigs of leaves. It is set against a
contrasting yellow and orange background.
In the second head one half of the face is yellow,
while the other half has been divided into two
areas of colour, a patch of dark orange denoting
the area of the eye, whilst the lower part is a
blue-green. On this face, the eyes and a nose
are more fully formed. From the mouth issues
forth black and white foliage. This head has also
been depicted with a suggestion of a crown,
suggestive of the crowned heads of Christ.
In 1961 the fabric was issued in a much brighter
colourway including purple, orange, turquoise
and yellow. In the same way as in printing,
reproducing designs for fabric allowed a greater
experimentation with colour combinations.
The use of bold, contrasting colours also reflects
Piper’s interest and passion for stained glass. At
this time Piper was working on his first stained
glass commission and had recently visited the
cathedrals of Chartres and Bourges in France,
with their famed thirteenth-century stained
glass, celebrated for its richness of colour.
Further ideas
• Consider the history and folklore tales based around the idea of the foliate head.
• Create your own foliate head masks. Experiment with different shapes, colours and materials.
• Write a piece of creative writing in response to this design.
• Take a picture of yourself and translate it into a design that could be used in a repeat pattern.
Key Theme: Living by Design and Colour Piper and the Sanderson’s Centenary
I
n the 1950s Arthur Sanderson & Sons Ltd.
was one of the most fashionable suppliers
of wallpapers, textiles and paints in London.
In 1951 its papers has been used exclusively
to decorate the Royal Festival Hall, London.
Established in 1860 as an importer of luxury
wallpapers from Europe; over time the company
began to commission their own designs.
To celebrate their centenary they commissioned
a modernist building for their London
showrooms. It was described as ‘the world’s
most fabulous showrooms’. On the first floor
there were 23 room sets to display wallpapers
and curtain fabrics side-by-side that where
changed quarterly, attracting a huge number of
visitors every day.
Cover, A Century of Sandersons, featuring Piper’s design
for the Sanderson’s Window, 1960. Private collection
Piper was commissioned to design a stained
glass mural for Sanderson House. Entitled
Composition (or sometimes Abstract
Composition of Biomorphic Forms) it was at 32
x 12 ft believed to be the largest secular stained
glass window in Europe. Piper’s design featured
four vertical abstract shapes suggestive of plant
forms, and based on collaged paper studies.
In the words of Ivan Sanderson it ‘symbolises the
House of Sanderson living by design and colour’.
At the same time, Piper was commissioned to
design five fabric designs - Chiesa de la Salute,
see Work in Focus: Arundel, The Glyders,
Northern Cathedral and Stones of Bath.
All the designs were painterly in character
reflecting their connection with his paintings
of the time. The Glyders was based on Piper’s
landscape watercolours of the Snowdonian
Mountains. The design has a fluidity that
meant it could be read as both abstract and
representational. This approach can also be seen
in Chiesa de la Salute. Based on Piper’s paintings
of Venice, he employed vertical and horizontal
bands of colour over this he marked the
features of the building in rapidly drawn lines.
Northern Cathedral comprises of a repeat
in horizontal sections of a pairing of images.
John Piper, Northern Cathedral, issued 1962, Screenprinted
Sanderlin. Published by Arthur Sandersons & Sons Ltd.
Private collection
On the one side a painterly rendering of the
Cathedral balanced on the other side by a brighter
representation of the architectural features,
achieving a pattern of light and dark bands.
Stones of Bath was the most popular of his
fabrics for the company. Its rich semi-abstract
arrangement of colour, with linear elements
which are suggestive of architectural features
were inspired by his paintings of the city. Arundel
was the only one to contain a figurative element.
Piper’s fabrics for Sanderson’s centenary were
widely used by Trust House Hotels. The Piper’s
themselves used The Glyders to make loose
covers for chairs at their home at Fawley Bottom,
which suggests that this was a particular favourite.
Work in Focus: Arundel, 1959, issued 1960
Screenprinted Sanderlin
Private Collection
Look + Discuss
Observation - Description - Interpretation - Connection
What can you see?
The design is composed of a repeat of fifteen
brightly coloured vertical frames. Whilst highly
abstract; within each of these frames there is a
loosely described draped figures; each with the
suggestion of a crown on their head.
Each section is a vibrant composition of colour
and forms in its own right. However when put
together, as a series or sequence, the overall
design and pattern has a dynamic presence
and synergy.
The title calls to mind the Sussex market town
and the late 11th century Arundel Castle; the
home of the Dukes of Norfolk for over 850
years. The repetition of figures in the design
might be seen to recall the carved figures around
the base of the tomb of Thomas, 5th Earl of
Arundel (d.1415) in the Fitzalan Chapel of
Arundel Castle.
Think about the arrangement of the figures
and overall design?
In 1954 Piper had undertaken his first stained
glass commission working alongside stained
glass artist Patrick Reyntiens; the windows
in Oundle School chapel. In this design Piper
had featured nine elongated figures, each
one standing in its own individual section,
representing the nine aspects of Christ: as the
Way, the Truth, and the Light; as the True Vine,
the Living Bread and the Water of Life; as a
Judge, Teacher and Good Shepherd.
As a response to the architectural constraints
of the tall thin window lights, the figures were
elongated, reminiscent of many early stained
glass figures. Piper re-used this stylistic
arrangement in the fabric design. In so doing
he was re-working his ideas and drawing on his
passion for stained glass and church sculpture of
the Middle Ages. It also enabled Piper to create a
visually striking pattern that translated well into a
modern fabric design.
Further Ideas:
• Research the history of stained glass windows. Look at how they were made as well as what
symbols and images were used, and the function they fulfill.
• Think about how abstract and / or figurative forms can be used in a design - try to design
your own.
• Experiment with how the same motif or design changes when translated into different media
- painting into collage; printmaking to sewing?
• Performance Create a dance or drama performance based on these figures coming to life.
Key Theme: Designing ‘Bobby Dazzlers’ Piper’s Vestments for the Church and The
Chichester Tapestry
P
iper first met Walter Hussey when he was the
vicar of St Matthew’s church, Northampton.
Hussey had already commission other leading
contemporary artists to make work for the
church and he approached Piper to design a cope;
an ecclesiastical vestment.
Piper was a skilled designer for the stage. From
the late 1930s onwards he had designed sets
and costumes for numerous operas and ballets.
This experience enabled Piper to understand
how to use colours and shapes to carry across
great distances and to add to the visual as well as
meaning of a performance or ritual.
The cope was not completed until January
1958. By this time, Walter Hussey had been
appointed as Dean of Chichester Cathedral
(1955 - 1977). Although Hussey described the
cope as ‘splendid, simple and most effective’,
it had been made by theatrical costumiers.
Their lack of experience in making ecclesiastical
vestments made it heavy to wear.
Piper went on to design further garments for
the Church. In 1962 he designed six sets of
vestments in colours ‘based on the varying
moods of the liturgical seasons’ for Coventry
Cathedral. Learning from his past mistake, Piper
established a working relationship with Louis
Grossé, the Belgian manufacturers of liturgical
vestments. In 1967 Piper began to work on a set
of vestments for use in Chichester Cathedral at
festivals. He also designed a set of six copes for
advent for St Paul’s Cathedral, London in 1974.
The Chichester Tapestry
After Hussey’s move to Chichester he continued
his forward thinking approach to art patronage and
commissioned work from leading modern artists. 6
Hussey looked to transform the high altar and
sanctuary area of the cathedral. This opened
up the full expanse of the sixteenth-century
wooden Sherburne screen; composed of seven
blind bays crowned with Gothic canopies. It
John Piper, Designs for Cope 1952-c.1958. Gouache and
collage on paper. Accepted by HM Government in lieu of
inheritance tax and allocated to Pallant House Gallery from
the Estate of John and Myfanwy Piper (2002)
seems that Hussey had originally suggested a
painting for the screen however Piper wrote to
Hussey with an alternative suggestion.
‘After considering all possible treatments we have
come to think again in the end of tapestry. Would
you give it a thought in terms of 7 separate
tapestries 36” wide and about 15’ high... I think
the whole would look magnificent’. 7
This suggestion of exploring tapestry as an
art form was clearly informed by the newly
completed tapestry at Coventry Cathedral
designed by Graham Sutherland. However, it
was Piper’s passion for stained glass and its
relationship with the building’s architecture that
underpinned his proposal.
The tapestry was consecrated at evensong on 20
September 1966 at which the Dean noted,
‘if we are wise we shall look at them and study
them a number of times, in different lights,
before we express an opinion on them. Then I
believe we shall recognise them as magnificent
and contemporary, and therefore traditional
adornment of this wonderful House of God’.
Initially the tapestry drew a mixed reaction.
However, as Dean Hussey recalled, the tapestry
‘couldn’t be ignored but drew the eye to that part
of the cathedral, as indeed it was meant to do’.
Over the past fifty years Piper’s Chichester
tapestry has become viewed as one of his most
significant commissions for the church as well as
an integral part of Chichester Cathedral.
Piper’s initial design explored the idea of seven
loosely described figures, as in his windows
at Oundle School Chapel, which he had also
reinterpreted for his furnishing fabric Arundel for
Sanderson. He described his idea in terms of seven
tapestry panels which ‘would relate to their niches
and canopies on a screen, as medieval stained-glass
figures are related to canopied lancets’. 8
As his early studies show, see Work in Focus:
Preliminary Design for Chichester Cathedral
Tapestry, 1965, Piper retained his idea of
seven individual tapestries. However he
returned to a more abstract language, which
was informed by forms and shapes he was
exploring in his recent landscape collages,
created in the summer of 1960.
As with much of his design work, Piper chose to
work with the most skilled craftspeople working
in long established traditions. For the Chichester
Cathedral tapestry, Piper approached Pinton
Frères, the tapestry weavers in the small town of
Felletin in the Limousin region of France.
The weaving of the tapestry took place between
February and July 1966. All the wool was dyed
specially in order to achieve the exact colours
that matched Piper’s designs. A photograph was
taken after its completion showing the tapestry
laid out in the town square of Felletin, with the
weavers standing alongside.
John Piper tapestry for Chichester Cathedral, town square,
Felletin, 1966.
Work in Focus: Preliminary design for Chichester
Cathedral Tapestry, 1965
Gouache and collage on paper,
Pallant House Gallery (Hussey Bequest, Chichester District Council 1985)
©The Piper Estate / DACS 2015
St Mark / Air
St Matthew / Earth
St Luke / Fire
St John / Water
Look + Discuss
Observation - Description - Interpretation - Connection
What can you see?
This is a preliminary design for the tapestry;
painted in gouache and collage on paper. As it
is an early design there are some differences
between this design and the finished tapestry.
One main difference between the early sketch
and the finished tapestry is the circle of light
which appears to float just above the cross in the
finished design. Owing to a last minute objection
by the Archdeacon to the absence of a symbol for
God the Father in the initial design, Piper found a
solution, by including a circle of white light.
The design is made up of seven individual
vertical sections.
The middle three sections make up the central
image; showing the Holy Trinity of God the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the centre of the
scheme is a light green triangle with a purple Tau
cross in front, to symbolise Christ the Son. The
Holy Spirit is suggested by an orange feathered
flame to one side and a red tongue of fire. These
forms are set against a blue green background.
These are flanked by two vertical sections on
either side; each containing a symbol of one of
the four Evangelists: St Matthew, St Mark, St
Luke and St John, and a representation of one of
the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
Looking from left to right
On the far left starting at the top, Piper has
clustered together round and oval forms in varying
colours of blues and brown reds and white to
represent Earth. At the bottom is an abstract head
picked out in black, red and white, to represent the
symbol of St Matthew (winged man).
Next to this is a section with a blue background.
At the top are oval and crescent forms in light
blue and white to represent Air. Beneath this is
a stylized head of a lion, with a yellow triangular
eye and yellow and black curls for the mane, to
represent St Mark (winged lion).
On the other side of the middle three sections,
is a section with a blue black background. In the
top section is the representation of Fire, depicted
in a flurry of painterly red and orange flickers of
colour on top of a white irregular shape. At the
bottom is the geometric depiction of an ox head,
to represent St Luke (winged ox).
On the far right is the seventh section; again a
blue black background on which is a sequence
of black, white and green linear marks, which
represents Water. Below is the schematic
depiction of an eagle’s head to represent St John
(winged eagle).
Further Ideas:
• Visit Chichester Cathedral to see the finished tapestry.
• Research other church decorations, how do they compare?
• Consider how the use of bold colours and stylized forms add or detract from the image.
• Create your own collage to represent a passage or characters from a story.
• Experiment with weaving. Make your own tapestry comprised of different sections to
represent your class or school values.
Key Theme: Piper’s Later Tapestries
A
fter the accomplishment of the Chichester
Cathedral tapestry, Piper received over thirty
commissions to design unique tapestries for
public spaces. This enabled him to continue his
association with Pinton Frères, and developed
motifs and approaches established in the tapestry
at Chichester.
Five Gates of the City of London, 1975. On
this project Piper worked for the first time
with Archie Brennan of the Edinburgh Tapestry
Company, known as Dovecot Studios. Piper
based his design on images of five of the City
of London’s historic gates - Moorgate, Aldgate,
Temple Bar, Kingsgate and Bishopsgate.
The first was a vertical tapestry for the Banqueting
Hall of the new Newcastle Civic Centre in 1968.
In contrast to Chichester Cathedral, it was a new,
modernist secular building, which also featured an
abstract mural by the artist Victor Pasmore. Piper’s
abstract design was ‘founded on the colour and
texture of some elemental features of Newcastleupon-Tyne’s background and structure - granite,
basalt, coal and iron’.9
Piper readily placed his confidence in weavers,
who he knew had sufficient knowledge and
experience of their own craft. Piper wrote ‘it is
the business of the interpretive craftsman not
just to interpret a design into the language of his
craft, but to re-create it as a lively image’.10
Piper’s faith in the ability of the weavers to
interpret his designs led to a number of tapestries
being woven thousands of miles away by the
Ibenstein Weavers in Dordabis, Namibia, and
Calcutta, India, including Foliate Heads, 1974 and
Long Sutton Church, 1984.
In a group of three tapestries designed for a room
in the Grocer’s Company London headquarters,
1968, Piper further developed the unfolding
flame motif, previously explored in the studies
for The Elements of Fire for Chichester. He
was also to design tapestries on the themes of
‘Science’ and ‘Humanities’ for the new library
building at the University of Witwatersrand in
South Africa, c. 1970-72. Other commissions
include The Fruits of the Earth, 1973 for the
Rothschild-Intercontinental Bank; two tapestries
for Reading Borough Council for their new Civic
Offices, 1975 and Architectural Fantasy for the
British Embassy in Bangkok, 1975 (which was
not displayed there but instead at the British
Embassy in Caracas).
Piper’s interest in architecture was to inspire
one of his other major tapestry commissions,
In the mid-1980s Piper began to work with the
West Dean Tapestry Studio, near Chichester.
The Studio worked with Piper on a group of four
tapestries see Work in Focus: The Seasons,
1986-87, for the chapel of the Royal Surrey
County Hospital in Guildford. Inspired by a book
of roof bosses in medieval churches, Piper had
produced a set of four colour etchings on the
theme of the foliate head and decided to use
these as the basis for the tapestries.
Piper relished the challenge of designing for
tapestries and the intricate skill that went into
the interpretation and translation of his designs.
John Piper, Five Gates of the City of London, 1975, Wool pile tapestry, Woven by Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh, Private Collection
Work in Focus: Foliate Heads: The Seasons, 1986
Wool pile tapestries, woven at West Dean Tapestry Studio
Commissioned for Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford
Courtesy of West Dean Tapestry Studio
Look + Discuss
Observation - Description - Interpretation - Connection
What can you see?
Designed as a set of four, these foliate heads are
one of many re-interpretations of this motif that
Piper explored during his career. Each head serves
to represent a season: spring, summer, autumn
and winter.
Spring: A yellow face with linear eyebrows and
nose, blue eyes and pink lips looks out from a
light green surround. Black linear foliage with
green leaves, representative of new life, spread
out into a darker background. This contrast
serves to highlight the radiance of the yellow.
Pink circles decorate the side edges.
Summer: A series of decreasing rectangles in
dark blue, blue, white and pink serve as the base
to this foliate head. The eyes and nose are in
outline and the face is decorated with flourishes
of black foliage.
Autumn: Rich and vibrant burst of reds, oranges
and yellows make up the sumptuous background
of this tapestry. The face emerges through the
notation of the eyes, nose and mouth. The bushy
foliage is suggested by freely drawn lines which
radiate outwards.
How were they made?
Piper created gouache, ink and oil pastel studies
from which the weavers would work to interpret
his ideas. The team of weavers specially dyed the
wool and cotton for the tapestries in the Studio
dye rooms, where it was possible to obtain an
unlimited palette of colours for the yarns. Also
by using two different types of wool, both matt
and shiny, they were able to create a variety of
different surfaces including soft and more defined.
One of the weavers commented on Piper’s use of
mixed media:
‘it offered very exciting possibilities for
translation into weaving. Sometimes the colour
was simple, straightforward, rich and dense.
Sometimes it was translucent, sometimes
transparent, making it possible to see the various
layers of colour on top of each other, this offering
almost infinite opportunities for the weaver to
mix the coloured yarn in such a way as to create
some intriguing overlay effects’.11
Winter: Cold greys and greens stand in stark
contrast to autumn’s warmth. The face is more
clearly defined, with blue eyes and red lips. The
bushy suggestion of hair and beard, as well as
foliage, is enlivened with white highlights.
Further Discussion Ideas:
• Compare these foliate heads with Work in Focus: Foliate Heads, 1954. Think about how
Piper has re-interpreted this motif. Which do you prefer?
• Consider each face. They are quite different in design and character. Write or perform a piece
that reflects the different personalities. What would they be like if they came to life?
• How do they reflect the qualities of their related season?
• Research how other artists have produced works in series or multiples.
Endnotes
Organised by the Manchester-based Colour, Design and Style Centre, the exhibition also featured
work by Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, Paul Nash, Eric Ravillious and Graham Sutherland.
Spalding, Frances, John Piper Myfanwy Piper Lives in Art, Oxford University Press, 2009, pg. 10
2
ibid., pg.74
3
Piper’s abstract paintings were included in a number of group exhibitions including in the spring of
4
1936 the now famous ‘Abstract and Concrete’ exhibition held in 41 St Giles, Oxford. [touring to
Liverpool (School of Architecture), London and Cambridge] During the tour of the exhibition Piper
sold two works, the first abstracts to earn Piper money.
Martin, Simon The Fabric of Modernism, exh. cat.Pallant House Gallery, 2016 p18
5
Including - Graham Sutherland Noli me Tangere, (1960); candlesticks and communion rails in St
6
Mary Magdelaine’s Chapel by Geoffrey Clarke (1960-62); stained glass window by Marc Chagall,
based on the theme of Psalm 150 (1978) as well as music by Leonard Bernstein and William
Walton.
Martin, Simon The Fabric of Modernism, exh. cat.Pallant House Gallery, 2016 p35
7
ibid., p36
8
ibid., p46
9
10 ibid., p47
11 ibid., p50
1
References and Connections
Exhibition Overview
About the Artist
Zika Ascher (1910-1992) came to England from
Prague in 1939 and established a small textile
business in London with his wife Lida. From 1946
Ascher supplied fabrics to the international fashion
industry. They opened their own printworks and
became known for lively screen printed designs.
In autumn 1947 a collection of thirty-seven of
the squares were exhibited at the Lefevre Gallery,
London. It included designs by British and French
artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Henri Matisse,
Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Francis Picabia, Graham
Sutherland and Feliks Topolski.
The Shell Guide to Oxon Published in 1938.
This was part of a series of guidebooks on the
counties of Britain which were aimed at a new
motorized type of tourist who could travel
around Britain. John Betjeman was the founding
editor and the series was sponsored by the oil
company Shell. Betjeman wrote the first Shell
Guide to Cornwall in 1934.
Painting into Textiles 21 October to 14
November 1953. Artists included Robert Adams,
Eileen Agar, Geoffrey Clarke, Terry Frost, Ivon
Hitchens, Peter Lanyon, Henry Moore, Eduardo
Paolozzi, Victor Pasmore, Ceri Richards, Graham
Sutherland, Paule Vézelay.
David Whitehead Ltd. Established in 1815 by
three brothers. The textile company, based in
Lancashire, reached its heyday in the 1950s and
1960s when it worked with young designers
to produce bright contemporary designs in the
post-war years.
Arthur Sanderson’s & Sons Established in 1860
in Islington, London as an importer of French
wallpapers. It later commissioned their own
designs in addition to imported wares. It was
granted a Royal Warrant in 1951 after its papers
were used exclusively to decorate the Royal
Festival Hall and in 1955 a further Warrant was
granted to supply Queen Elizabeth II.
St Matthew’s church, Northampton
Consecrated on St Matthew’s Day, 1893. Walter
Hussey was vicar from 1937-1955. During this
time he commissioned a number of contemporary
pieces including a stone sculpture by Henry Moore
Madonna and Child, 1944, oil painting by Graham
Sutherland Crucifixion of Christ, 1946, Rejoice in
the Lamb, 1943 from Benjamin Britten and a St
Matthew’s Day Litany and Anthem from W.H. Auden.
Reredos An ornamental screen covering the wall
at the back of an altar.
Coventry Cathedral Baptistery window
Part of the new Coventry Cathedral designed by
Basil Spence and consecrated on 25 May 1962.
Spence commissioned a number of new works
for the cathedral, including a large-scale tapestry
by Graham Sutherland, a sculpture Mater
Dolorous by John Bridgeman and the stained
glass for the baptistery window by John Piper.
The window was 81ft high and comprised of
195 lights and concrete mullions for which Piper
created an abstract design.
George Braque (1882-1963) A leading artist in
the creation of Cubism alongside Pablo Picasso.
Seven and Five Society Established in 1919
it initially served as an exhibiting group which
proclaimed no singular manifesto. However, when
Ben Nicholson joined in 1924 he introduced likeminded modernist artists to the group. It became
regarded as the leading modernist art group and
in 1935 it held its first all abstract exhibition.
The Spectator First published in 1828. It is a
weekly conservative magazine which focuses on
politics and culture.
‘Recording Britain’ scheme Announced in The
Times, 29 September 1939. It paid artists to
record the look of pre-war Britain and the British
people; through its ancient buildings, landscape,
rural industries and monuments. It was devised
by Sir Kenneth Clarke and resulted in more than
1500 watercolours and drawings that make up a
fascinating record of British lives and landscape
at a time of imminent change.
References and Connections
War Artist’s Advisory Committee (WAAC)
Established in 1939 by the Ministry of
Information under the guidance of Sir Kenneth
Clarke. Its aim was to compile an artistic
documentary of the history of Britain throughout
the war. The work was also used as propaganda,
with exhibitions organised to raise morale and
promote Britain’s image. At the end of the war,
the collection consisted of 5,570 works of art
produced by over four hundred artists. The
collection was then distributed to museums
around Britain and the world.
Contemporary Lithographs Ltd. The idea
behind it was to get artists to make lithographic
prints, representational in style but with good
formal qualities, which could be sold cheaply,
especially to schools, who could then have access
to modern art. The first set of Contemporary
Lithographs, offering a representational crosssection of modern British art, was printed in
colour by Curwen Press, 1937. Ten artists
were commissioned: Eric Ravilious, Edward
Bawden, Clive Gardiner, Paul and John Nash,
Norah McGuiness, Graham Sutherland, Barnett
Freedman, Robert Medley and H .S. Williamson.
Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984) A poet, writer
and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from
1972 until his death.
Geoffrey Eastop (1921-2014) An English
potter. He first met John Piper in 1968. He
set his studio up in Piper’s home at Fawley
Bottom. Eastop would make the pots and
Piper would decorate them. Their partnership
lasted until 1985.
Patrick Reyntiens (b.1925) Reyntiens was
considered the leading practitioner of stained
glass in this country. His work can be found in
churches across the country.
Axis - A Quarterly Review of Contemporary
“Abstract” Painting & Sculpture Founded and
edited by Myfanwy Piper, it was published from
1935-1937. It was the only influential magazine
of its time discussing the ideas of abstract art.
Horizon: A Review of Literature and Art An
influential literary magazine published in London
between 1940 - 1949. Edited by Cyril Connolly.
Architectural Review Established in 1896 it
became in the 1930s a leading architectural
magazine. It was among the first to publish
articles on European Modernist architecture. It
had a series of notable editors including John
Betjeman, assistant editor between 1930-1934.
Key Theme: Painting into Textiles - The
Ambassador, Ascher and David Whitehead Ltd.
International Textiles magazine Later to be
renamed The Ambassador was a Dutch-based
export magazine promoting fashion and textiles.
The London editor was Hans Juda (19041975) who had come to Britain in 1933 with
his wife Elsbeth Juda (1911-2014) who was a
photographer for the magazine. László MoholyNagy (1895-1946) was the magazine’s art editor.
Eileen Agar (1899-1991) A British painter who
moved from Buenos Aires to England and later
studied art. During the 1930s she was a leading
member of the British Surrealist Movement.
From 1936 she experimented with various
techniques and materials including photography,
collage and making objects.
Terry Frost (1915-2003) An abstract artist,
who studied at both St Ives and Camberwell
School of Art.
Ivon Hitchens (1893-1979) A painter of mainly
landscapes which became increasingly abstract ,
with broad areas of vibrant colour.
Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) Born in Cornwall,
Lanyon paintings are based in this local landscape
translated through varying degrees of abstraction.
Henry Moore (1898-1986) An artist and
sculpture, best known for his semi-abstract
figurative sculptures.
References and Connections
Eduardo Paolozzi (1924-2005) An artist
who worked with collage, printmaking and
sculpture. Often drawing on commercial sources
of inspiration and modern machinery, which he
incorporated into his work.
Victor Pasmore (1908-1998) Although initially
a representational painter by 1947 Pasmore
became an abstract artist producing paintings,
collages and constructions.
Ceri Richards (1903-1971) A Welsh painter,
printmaker and stage designer.
Graham Sutherland (1903-1980) A painter of
imaginative landscapes, figure pieces and portraits.
His work was inspired by a Romantic and Surrealist
tradition as well as religious imagery.
Alexander Calder (1898-1976) An American
artist, sculpture and pioneer of abstract mobiles.
Jean Hélion (1904-1987) A French painter
whose abstract work from the 1930s established
him as a leading modernist. He was to later reject
abstraction and become a figurative painter for
rest of his career.
Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) Nicholson’s
earliest paintings were traditional still lifes, but
in the 1920s he began painting figurative and
abstract work inspired by Post-Impressionism
and Cubism. By the early 1930s he was creating
completely abstract reliefs.
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Spanish painter
who worked in France as a painter, sculptor,
etcher, ceramicists and designer.
Chartres Cathedral Considered one of the finest
examples of French Gothic architecture, it dates
to between 1194 and 1250. The most distinctive
feature of Chartres is the richness of its stained
glass windows dating from the 13th Century.
Bourges Cathedral Built between the late 12th
and late 13th centuries it is a fine example of
Gothic architecture.
Key Theme: Designing ‘Bobby Dazzlers’:
Piper’s Vestments for the Church and The
Chichester Tapestry
Cope A cope is a liturgical vestment or cloak,
which is fastened with a band or clasp.
Pinton Frères - Ateliers Pinton Created in
1867 they mainly wove carpets and Aubusson
tapestries, but they also worked with leading
modern artists including Picasso, Dali and Calder.
The Town of Felletin had been a centre for the
production of Aubusson tapestries since the
Middle Ages.
Key Theme: Piper’s Later Tapestries
Edinburgh Tapestry Company known as
Dovecot Studios First established in 1912 it
was a leading tapestry studio which worked with
a number of leading artists.
Ibenstein Weavers, Dordabis, Namibia
Established in 1915 by the Bauhaus-trained
designer Marianne Krafft. Using the wool from
the Karakul sheep (introduced to Namibia in the
early twentieth-century) they produced knotted
carpets using natural colours. They were to realise
eight further designs by Piper including in 1979
The Tree of Life tapestries for Hereford Cathedral.
West Dean Tapestry Studio Part of the
Edward James Foundation, it began in 1974
and gained a reputation for interpretative skill
and technical quality. Between 1976-79 they
worked on eight large tapestries based on the
drawings of Henry Moore.
Written by Louise Weller
Designed by Louise Bristow
Kiki Claxton, Learning Programme Manager
k.claxton@pallant.org.uk, 01243 770839
Telephone 01243 774557
info@pallant.org.uk
www.pallant.org.uk
9 North Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TJ