‘Umbra Sumus’: An Exploration of Historic Linen Damask Practices and Techniques in Ireland’

Deborah White

Abstract

In 1743, on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in Spitalfields, London, its immigrant Huguenot silk weavers had an extract from Homer’s Ode, ‘The Snows have Fled’, carved onto a sundial that they displayed on the pediment of their chapel building. A reminder of the impermanence of their wordly existence, “Umbra Sumus’ (We are Shadows) also reflected on the ephemeracy of the many branches of weaving, so often regionalised and prey to the capriciousness of fashion. In Ireland where commercial hand-loom linen damask weaving has long ceased to exist and is yet to resume, with the passing of generations many of its working practices have become irrecoverable. Others, however, await rediscovery and reinvention.This paper traces the author’s empirical testing of the historic techniques and practices of linen damask weaving in a bid to best understand how high-end linen damask was and can continue to be woven.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 22 Mar 2023
Event	CIETA - 30th Congress and General Assembly: RENAISSANCES AND REVIVALS - Wawel Royal Castle, Kraków, Poland Duration: 2 Oct 2023 → 5 Oct 2023 http://Cieta.fr

Conference

Conference	CIETA - 30th Congress and General Assembly
Abbreviated title	CIETA CONGRESS 2023
Country/Territory	Poland
City	Kraków
Period	2/10/23 → 5/10/23
Internet address	http://Cieta.fr

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

Keywords

Historical Textiles
Design and Production
Tacit knowledge
tacit skills
Commercial handloom weaving
Working practices
Empirical research
Historic Techniques
High-end Linen Damask

Cite this

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title = "{\textquoteleft}Umbra Sumus{\textquoteright}: An Exploration of Historic Linen Damask Practices and Techniques in Ireland{\textquoteright}",

abstract = "In 1743, on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in Spitalfields, London, its immigrant Huguenot silk weavers had an extract from Homer{\textquoteright}s Ode, {\textquoteleft}The Snows have Fled{\textquoteright}, carved onto a sundial that they displayed on the pediment of their chapel building. A reminder of the impermanence of their wordly existence, “Umbra Sumus{\textquoteright} (We are Shadows) also reflected on the ephemeracy of the many branches of weaving, so often regionalised and prey to the capriciousness of fashion. In Ireland where commercial hand-loom linen damask weaving has long ceased to exist and is yet to resume, with the passing of generations many of its working practices have become irrecoverable. Others, however, await rediscovery and reinvention.This paper traces the author{\textquoteright}s empirical testing of the historic techniques and practices of linen damask weaving in a bid to best understand how high-end linen damask was and can continue to be woven.",

keywords = "Historical Textiles, Design and Production, Tacit knowledge, tacit skills, Commercial handloom weaving, Working practices, Empirical research, Historic Techniques, High-end Linen Damask",

author = "Deborah White",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

day = "22",

language = "English",

note = "CIETA - 30th Congress and General Assembly : RENAISSANCES AND REVIVALS, CIETA CONGRESS 2023 ; Conference date: 02-10-2023 Through 05-10-2023",

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TY - CONF

T1 - ‘Umbra Sumus’

T2 - CIETA - 30th Congress and General Assembly

AU - White, Deborah

PY - 2023/3/22

Y1 - 2023/3/22

N2 - In 1743, on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in Spitalfields, London, its immigrant Huguenot silk weavers had an extract from Homer’s Ode, ‘The Snows have Fled’, carved onto a sundial that they displayed on the pediment of their chapel building. A reminder of the impermanence of their wordly existence, “Umbra Sumus’ (We are Shadows) also reflected on the ephemeracy of the many branches of weaving, so often regionalised and prey to the capriciousness of fashion. In Ireland where commercial hand-loom linen damask weaving has long ceased to exist and is yet to resume, with the passing of generations many of its working practices have become irrecoverable. Others, however, await rediscovery and reinvention.This paper traces the author’s empirical testing of the historic techniques and practices of linen damask weaving in a bid to best understand how high-end linen damask was and can continue to be woven.

AB - In 1743, on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in Spitalfields, London, its immigrant Huguenot silk weavers had an extract from Homer’s Ode, ‘The Snows have Fled’, carved onto a sundial that they displayed on the pediment of their chapel building. A reminder of the impermanence of their wordly existence, “Umbra Sumus’ (We are Shadows) also reflected on the ephemeracy of the many branches of weaving, so often regionalised and prey to the capriciousness of fashion. In Ireland where commercial hand-loom linen damask weaving has long ceased to exist and is yet to resume, with the passing of generations many of its working practices have become irrecoverable. Others, however, await rediscovery and reinvention.This paper traces the author’s empirical testing of the historic techniques and practices of linen damask weaving in a bid to best understand how high-end linen damask was and can continue to be woven.

KW - Historical Textiles

KW - Design and Production

KW - Tacit knowledge

KW - tacit skills

KW - Commercial handloom weaving

KW - Working practices

KW - Empirical research

KW - Historic Techniques

KW - High-end Linen Damask

UR - http://www.cieta.fr

M3 - Abstract

Y2 - 2 October 2023 through 5 October 2023

ER -