Lotus

CC0 Public Domain Designation

Textiles

Design by 1888, made 1888

Design attributed to May Morris (English, 1862–1938)
Produced by Morris & Co., London (English, 1875–1940)
Embroidered by the Decorative Arts Society, Chicago (American, founded 1877)

Frances Glessner was an avid embroiderer and made a number of decorative textiles for her house on Prairie Avenue. This large panel, which was a door curtain or portiere, was one of four such curtains used in the parlor of the house. In a diary entry of November 17, 1888, she wrote, “My curtains came home from the Decorative Arts Society,” which makes it clear that the design was purchased from Morris & Co. but embroidered in Chicago by members of the Decorative Arts Society, probably supervised by Mrs. Glessner.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Textiles

Artists: May Morris (Designer) , Morris & Co. (Producer) , Antiquarian Society (Maker)
Title: Lotus
Places: England (Object made in:), Chicago (Object made in:), Prairie Avenue, 1800 South (Object made for:), London (Object made in:), Great Britain (Object made in:)
Dates: Made 1888 , Designed 1888
Medium: Silk, warp-float faced twill weave; embroidered in satin and stem stitches
Dimensions: Overall: 263.9 × 120.9 cm (103 7/8 × 47 5/8 in.); Embroidery: 257.2 × 113 cm (101 1/4 × 44 1/2 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. John J. Glessner
Reference Number: 1918.298
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/74514/manifest.json

Art Institute of Chicago, Agnes Allerton Gallery, A Selection of Fabrics from the 1880s–1940s from the Permanent Collection, Nov. 13, 1982–Feb. 15, 1983.
Art Institute of Chicago, Morris and Company: The Business of Beauty, Dec. 18, 2021–June 13, 2022, no cat.

Frances Glessner (Mrs. John J. Glessner, born Sarah Frances Macbeth, 1848-1932), and John J. Glessner, Chicago,Ill., from around 1888 [according to correspondence from William Tyre dated May 18, 2011 in curatorial file and Mrs. Glessner’s personal dairy this was one of four ‘curtains’ received by her on Nov. 17, 1888; they were installed in east doors of the east doors of the parlor at Glessner House, Prairie Street, Chicago; photographed c. 1890 in situ; gift recorded in Day Book 8, p. 150]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1918.

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Suggested Terms

Currently Off View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Artists

Title

Places

Dates

Medium

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

Extended information about this artwork

Exhibition History

Provenance

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.