Large Framed 19th Century Folk Art Woolwork of a King Charles Spaniel on a Cushion
£1,850.00
Description
This is a delightfully charming and highly decorative mid-to-late 19th-century folk art textile woolwork, beautifully capturing the Ancien Régime and Victorian obsession with faithful domestic companions. Hand-stitched in rich wool yarns on a canvas backing, the needlework focuses entirely on a prized King Charles Spaniel (or toy spaniel) reclining gracefully upon a plush, heavily padded crimson cushion finished with decorative corner tassels.
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Large Framed 19th Century Folk Art Woolwork of a King Charles Spaniel on a Cushion
This is a delightfully charming and highly decorative mid-to-late 19th-century folk art textile woolwork, beautifully capturing the Ancien Régime and Victorian obsession with faithful domestic companions. Hand-stitched in rich wool yarns on a canvas backing, the needlework focuses entirely on a prized King Charles Spaniel (or toy spaniel) reclining gracefully upon a plush, heavily padded crimson cushion finished with decorative corner tassels.
The artisan has employed traditional tent and cross-stitches to build a dense, highly tactile surface. Stripped of unnecessary background distraction, the composition relies on strong, graphic naive lines and a bold checkerboard geometric border. The endearing, slightly blocky facial features of the spaniel give this textile a wonderful, raw folk-art appeal, perfectly bridging historic domestic craft with a strikingly modern, illustrative aesthetic.
History & Origin
Subject: Seated Toy Spaniel on a Tasseled Cushion
Period: Mid-to-Late 19th Century (Circa 1860–1880)
Origin: European (Possessing strong stylistic hallmarks of Dutch, Flemish, or British regional folk embroidery)
Medium: Dyed wool yarn on canvas backing
Dealer’s Comments
"You are entirely spot on about the value—the scale and the framing change the narrative completely. Spaniel imagery was the height of 19th-century fashion, but what makes this piece so compelling is the minimalist folk-art focus. By placing the dog purely on that wonderfully tufted, tasseled cushion, the artist has achieved an incredible naive vitality. The contrast between the organic texture of the wool and the brilliant, heavy glow of the deep gilt frame is spectacular. It's a turnkey luxury acquisition, ready to anchor a gallery wall or hold its own above a mantlepiece in a high-end interior."
Condition Report
This woolwork is in very good antique condition for a textile approaching its 150th year. The wool fibers are remarkably intact, clean, and tightly woven, with no significant moth damage, bare patches, or major thread pulling. The color palette remains wonderfully rich, particularly the deep crimson of the cushion, showing only the uniform, gentle mellowing of age that authenticates its 19th-century origin.
The large, deep gilt frame is structurally sound and in excellent antique showroom condition, exhibiting a beautiful, authentic patination to the gilding with only minor, age-appropriate wear. There is a crack in the orignal glass plate which we have decided not to place.
Measurements
Height: 51 cm / 20.1 inch
Width: 62 cm / 24.4 inch
Depth: 4 cm / 1.4 inch
Weight: 2.8 k.g. / 6.2 lbs
Cleaning, Polishing & Restoration
All our collections have been through our workshop and where possible, we always try to maintain the original finish preserving the patina and colour, some items are sympathetically restored and this is done by our own skilled craftsmen using only traditional methods
