Machines and the Middle Class: The Textile Revolution

A visual history of the impact of the industrial revolution on textile design.

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Slide 1


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Slide 2

The stocking frame – mechanical knitting machine



1585 – William Lee invents the stocking frame (known as framework knitting)

1598 – Modifies it to knit both silk and wool stockings

1663 - London Company of Framework Knitters granted a charter

1758 – Jedediah Strutt invents ‘Derby Rib’ attachment making it profitable to knit cotton socks on the machine

1812 – 25, 000 stocking frames in use
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Slide 3

The flying shuttle: new technologies lead to protectionism and mercantilism

1733 – John Kay develops the flying shuttle: larger widths of fabric can be produced by a single weaver

Countries try to maintain control of new technology through protectionism and mercantilism.


Width of brocaded silk, French, 1760
21.5 inches wide, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 4

The Spinning Jenny and productivity

c.1764 by James Hargreaves or Thomas Highs
One worker can spin 8 times as much yarn, later increased to 80 times
Often worked by children


Spinning jenny from a museum in Wuppteral Germany


Child labour, South Carolina USA, 1908
“She just happened in…she was working steadily”
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Slide 5

Water Power

1771 – Invention of the water frame, weaving powered by water

1779 – Invention of the spinning mule – strong thread on a massive scale

1785 – Power loom, initially powered by water, then by steam.

1823 – 10,000 power looms in England


Power loom factory, Finland, 1877
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Slide 6

The cotton gin, slavery, and cotton fabric




Cotton afternoon dresses, French, ca 1855, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 7

Block Printing

1700s - technique of printing from engraved wooden blocks developed

Can carry many colours, but are time consuming to produce.

Fine details created by adding copper borders to the blocks


Block printing with turkey red, 1840




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Slide 8

Engraved Copper Plates


1750s a new technique of engraved copper plates was developed-plates and designs were larger and could carry more detail.

1798 engraved plates became rollers-entire length of cotton could be printed continuously in single mechanical process. 500 pieces could be produced per day

Engraved plates can only carry one colour: additional colours are added through block printing


The activities of the factory, French, Jouy, 1784, Metropolitan Museum of Art


Colours added through block printing, French, Jouy, 1787, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 9

Bleach

Pre 1800 – bleaching takes up to six months
1800 – powdered chlorine and lime bleaching invented, bleaching shortened to days
Bleach can be used to create small, detailed patterns: bleach works with resists and mordants to preserve/create spaces for new colours


Persian Shah printing on cotton, Russian, 1896, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 10

The Jacquard Loom

1801 - invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard
Allows greater complexity of patterns and weaves


Jacquard loom, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, England


Day dress, French, 1845-1850, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 11

Tartan

1815 – Clan tartans registered (and invented)

1822 – King George IV visits Scotland, tartan becomes the national dress

1848 – Queen Victoria rents, and subsequently buys, Balmoral Castle


Tartan silk dress, American, 1857, Metropolitan Museum of Art


First colour photograph, 1861
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Slide 12

The Sewing Machine

1851 – invention of the sewing machine

1854 - embroidery machines: machine embroidery taken up in Ireland and Britain

1870 - marketable family sewing machine

1873 - Singer factory




Album quilt, New York state, America, ca 1860, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Borders applied with sewing machine
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Slide 13

Aniline Dyes

1856 – First aniline dye, mauveine, invented by William Henry Perkins
Late1850’s –Other aniline dyes created: Magenta and fierce purple-pink
1860 - aniline black, Manchester brown, yellow
1863 - first green not to go blue
1884 - Congo blue an indigo substitute




Shoe of silk decorated with aniline dyed embroidery, 1873, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 14

Taste and the rise of the middle class


Princess de Broglie, 1851, Metropolitan Museum of Art


Day dress, French, 1872, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 15


Evening gown, American, 1884-1886, Metropolitan Museum of Art


The letter of recommendation, Luigi Busi, 1874
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Slide 16


Day dress, American, 1883-1885, Metropolitan Museum of Art


Sofa, American, 1860, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 17

Domestic textile arts


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Slide 18

The Great Exhibition of 1851




Italian print, Owen Jones, 1873, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Slide 19

The Arts and Crafts Movement

Led by William Morris, believed designer should know how to create product
Small-scale craftmanship
Nothing in your home that is not beautiful
Linked to Pre-Raphealites and Art Nouveau


Wandle print, William Morris, 1884, Metropolitan Museum of Art


Allegorical figures, 1893, Metropolitan Museum of Art

See also: 

Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution