Historic Jewish Embroidery Made On Perforated Paper!

While I will consider myself somewhat of a needle works history buff, I was greatly surprised to learn that needlework was once done on perforated paper, and even in Jerusalem! I have put together a few images of works found in The Jewish Museum in New York, and they are delightful and maybe will even inspire you? Discovering these works also helps me make sense of the modern day canvas craft kits with yarn that are made with very long stitches, something I’d never seen, but now I see it in these works, so it has a history.  If you are interested in learning more about this historic technique that was used from around 1850 to 1900, you’ll have to google it, or scroll down for the short description I found. I’m guessing this was the pre-curser to needlepoint canvas, and cross stitch linen, and it must have been quite thick “paper”. Okay, keep on reading to see full sized versions of these wonderful embroidered works!

Above: The Western Wall and Temple Mount

 

Description from The Jewish Museum Website:

Object Name: Wall Hanging
Title:Temple Mount and Western Wall
Place Made:
Jerusalem (?) (Israel)
Date:1843/44
Medium: Perforated paper: embroidered with wool
Dimensions: 17 3/4 × 23 in. (45.1 × 58.4 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Dr. Harry G. Friedman
Accession Number: F 1261
Tags:Decorative Arts, Folk, Holy Land, Jerusalem Temple
The contents of the scene are indicated by Hebrew headings: above: Solomon’s Temple (site of el-Aqsa Mosque); Jerusalem w[ith] the Temple Mount; below: the Western Wall, the year [5] 604 (=1843/4). The forms are rendered with a colorful palette. The Dome of the Rock is shown as a domed polygonal building with a roof finial, a feature appearing on Al-Aqsa and the minaret at far left. The trees are sycamores which became symbols of the Temple mount. An unusual detail are the pair of birds flanking the central sycamore.

Above: Akeidas Yitzchak

Object Name:Wall Hanging
Artist/Maker: Frieda Leah Shifman
Place Made: Jerusalem (Israel)
Date:1879/80 (date of inscription)
Medium: Perforated paper: embroidered with wool
Dimensions: 19 1/8 × 23 13/16 in. (48.5 × 60.5 cm)
Credit Line:  Gift of Deanna Hausner
The biblical story of the offering of Isaac in Gen. 22 is shown in two registers. At bottom are the servants wait below while Isaac and Abraham proceed to the place of sacrifice. In the top register, an angel stays Abraham’s hand holding the knife above Isaac stretched on an altar labeled with the biblical quotation: Lay not your hand on the lad. To their left is the ram whose horns are caught in the bush. The servants are named Eliezer and Ishmael (actually Abraham’s son).

There are two original inscriptions. At top: The Offering of Isaac should be remembered by his descendants today as an act of mercy. The year 5640 (=1879/80). Along the bottom border: A gift sent by Frieda Leah Shifman in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Above: Mourning in Bavel, and the Temple Mount

 

Object Name: Wall Hanging
Place Made: Ottoman Palestine (Israel)
Date: mid-19th-early 20th century
Medium: Perforated paper: embroidered with wool
Dimensions: 18 × 23 in. (45.7 × 58.4 cm)
Credit Line:Gift of Dr. Harry G. Friedman
The theme of the perforated paper embroidery is announced by the quotation at top: By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea we wept when we remembered Zion (Ps. 137:1). Verse 2 of Psalm 137 describes how the Jews hung their musical instruments on the willows as a sign of mourning for Zion (shown above the seated figures). Zion is depicted in the left third off the field. The Temple Mount labeled “the site of the Temple.” A strong sense of patterning marks the embroidery.

 

What Is Perforated Paper Needlework?
Needlework on perforated paper began in the 1840’s. With the careful skill and ingenuity of the women, these included bookmarks, needle books, and even a sewing basket. Over time they became very elaborate! Themes were often religious with memorial motifs or sayings. Animals, flowers, samplers…it was very reminiscent of the Berlin wool work and cross stitchery of the time. Eventually magazines carried counted patterns for the paper, though many people still completed the project freehand. 

 

Generally the projects are very small with 18-24 holes per inch. Most seem to be completed on white paper. Bookmarks were often finished with a silk ribbon stitched/pasted to the back.

 

As follow are credits for pieces shown above, from The Jewish Museum website: