The main purpose of Bergemann is, trying to answer the question: whether or not the embroidery of 1820 - 1860 was a phenomena of a middle class culture. There are practically no inventories of middle class houses, she therefore deals with fittings and setups of castles in Pottsdam near Berlin. The castle of Charlottenburg was built 1826 - 29 after designs of K.F. Schinkel and specially the living room was decorated with many embroideries. These were worked by the court ladies during social meetings in the evenings.

In the years around 1820 embroidery pattern became very fashionable. Some letters of court ladies of this period point to the fact that elements of patterns were put together according to the ladies own opinions. Motives of the 19th c. had their predecessors in classic times in the embroidery of nobility, in 19th c. however precious materials were no longer in use. The embroideresses came from middle class houses and they already had an education, knowledge and skill in embroidery. It very soon also became a possibility of earning money and also to improve the housekeeping means.
Embroidery became an important part in the way of living and was identified not only with female activity, but with woomanhood itself.

In the castle of "Sans Souci", situated in Pottsdam near Berlin as well, the embroideries preserved are too even and equal to be worked by hand. In Berlin some shops sold finished or half finished embroideries. In the course of the 19th c. also the ways of production were simplified, numbers of colours were reduced and there was less variation regarding the motives.

Lady, embroidering, drawing,
Berlin around 1830, by Louise Henry

Embroidery room of Princess Marianne of Prussia,
Aquarelle, around 1840, by F. Fischbach

Detail of fire screen, Berlin around 1796

Part of embroidered sopha,
living room Charlottenhof, Pottsdam, near Berlin

Embroidery pattern, publisher Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich,
around 1828

For further information contact Anne Wanner wanner@datacomm.ch