"2021-02-10T00:00:00"^^ . "Embroidered wall hanging 'The Owl' worked in silks on a background of silk damask, designed by John Henry Dearle, ca. 1895, and embroidered by Mrs Battye, ca. 1898-1900, made by Morris & Co., England"@en . . . "Embroidered wall hanging worked in silks on a background of green woven silk damask. Wide borders on each side which have been hemmed to the back of the hanging and cut away on the right hand side.\n\nThe design shows a central motif of large meandering acanthus leaves worked in shades of peach, yellow and ivory with vein markings and outlines in pale and dark brown. Intertwined with the acanthus is a blue branched tree with large-headed exotic blooms on which perches an owl worked in natural shades. There are branchless tree trunks running up either side of the hanging, and the background and foreground is cluttered with various other plants including roses, honeysuckle, cornflowers and tulips. A partridge peeps from behind an acanthus leaf in the lower right hand side corner.\n\nWorked mostly in darned stitches, the hanging uses stem stitches for outline work. Many different coloured silks are used including shades of green, brown, purple, yellow, cream, blue, red, pink, orange, peach and white. The birds are embroidered through an additional cotton backing.\n\nUnlined and originally nailed to a stretcher, and some of the nail-holes are still visible."@en .