Embroidered Picture - Belshazzar's Feast

Period1839

MediumPlied wool thread, graphite, watercolor and gouache on heavy paper, oil on linen

DimensionsSight: 22.25 × 32 in. (56.5 × 81.3 cm)

InscribedAdditional inscriptions read, "Worked in 1839" written in pencil on the center of the bottom strainer. "1839" is also written in pencil on the bottom strainer near the far right corner; and "1839" is written in pencil on the back of the canvas itself, where Belshazzar's legs appear. "H46" appears written in ink along the upper left edge of the back of the canvas.

SignedOn the front, a small 3/4 x 3 1/2 inch black and gold reverse painted glass panel reads "C. SCHANCK." On the back of the stretcher assembly, scrawled along the bottom edge of the canvas, reads "Catharine Schanck's work commenced Jany 1839."

ClassificationsNeedlework

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Kissam, 1991

Object number1991.3

DescriptionA rectangular mixed media needlework piece, consisting of a medium weight ungessoed linen ground tacked to a rough pine strainer assembly. The scene depicts Belshazzar's feast from the Bible in the Book of Daniel, Chapter Five. Richly dressed Babylonian king Belshazzar, wearing a large turban, sits on a four-legged stool with his left arm bent towards his chest and his right arm outflung. Immediately to his right, a female figure with carefully coiffed hair and elaborate robes clutches a small child in her arms. Behind her, two standing figures appearing to be advisors or courtiers are dressed in elegant robes and elaborate headgear, pointing towards the upper right corner of the scene. At the right end of the banquet table, a bare-headed and bearded male figure, possibly Daniel himself, gazes calmly at the panicked courtiers. In the lower right corner crouches a seventh figure, bareheaded and in simple robes, most likely a servant. In the upper right corner are ominous clouds, from which luminous rays descend. A disembodied hand floats in the sky, depicted in the act of writing what is meant to suggest Hebrew lettering. Atop the banquet table is a large steaming urn, two covered urns, a goblet, and a platter of grapes. Near Belshazzar's feet two large covered urns lean and tip in the commotion. In the background, large columns suggest a palace interior. The clouds, light rays, and glimpses of sky behind the columns are rendered in oil. Plied wool threads in red, maroon, tan, blue, brown, and off white are used to depict all fabric, including garments, robes, banquet table cloth, and the large draperies at the left of the scene. The stitching itself is quite simple, with virtually all spaces filled with surface satin stitch and long and short stitch. Some areas, such as neckline borders, use split and stem stitches. In many instances, shadows are emphasized with watercolor overpainting atop the wool embroidery. All faces, arms, and legs are worked in cut heavy paper, with features and details delicately added in graphite and watercolor with some gouache highlighting. The paper pieces are applied over, and in some cases tucked under, areas of wool embroidery and held in place by tiny tack stitches. In some instances, such as the depiction of Balshazzar's hands and along the neckline of the figures' garments, the paper pieces were sewn atop partially finished areas of embroidery, then additional embroidery was added over the paper pieces to create a striking layered effect. The urns, goblets, and platter are also of paper, and sewn atop embroidered areas with tiny tack stitches. The entire panel is elaborately framed, with a small reverse-painted glass rectangular panel measuring 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches and painted in black and gold that reads "C. SCHANCK" nestled into the extreme lower left front corner, held in place by the thick white mat edged in gilt. The scene, mat, and small signature panel are set within an elaborate original gilded and gessoed wood frame, picked out in black banding.
Curatorial RemarksThis oversized scene is arguably the most complex needlework piece in the Association's collection. The elaborate design, featuring seven fully-rendered figures, must have been challenging if not daunting for fourteen-year-old Catharine Schanck. Her skills were equal to the task, however, and she was able to combine complicated layering and intricate detailing to compete this impressive work. Her father, DeLafayette Schanck, was clearly proud of his daughter's talents and spent lavishly for an costly frame in order to display the work in the family's home. While not unique, these large-scale, complex needlework "paintings," often depicting dramatic biblical scenes, were projects well beyond the scope of the typical finishing samplers many girls completed in their teens. In Catharine's case, she was fortunate to have parents able to afford to pay for her continued education and to attend a school that offered this level of challenge. Catharine Schanck most likely went to the Middletown Point Academy in Matawan, within walking distance of her home. An 1836 Monmouth Inquirer newspaper advertisement described in great detail the educational offerings of the school, headed by Principal Philetus Phillips. The staff of the Female Department, "under the superintendance of Mrs. Phillips," included sisters Louisa Cox, who served as General Assistant and French instructress, and Hannah Cox, who taught Music. In addition to mathematics, "geography with the use of the Globes," English grammar, reading, writing, and other subjects, the Female Department included "Drawing, painting, fancy work, embroidery, etc." for twelve dollars per session in addition to the school's regular fees. Catharine's "Balshazzar's Feast" most likely incurred even further costs for the necessary supplies as well as extended instruction time. The Association owns a second needlework picture by Catharine Schanck, a much smaller silk mourning scene (accession number 1974.21.) which she most likely completed while also attending Middletown Point Academy. An examination of the back of the feast canvas reveals that the scene was first sketched in dark ink with a brush by what appears to be a confident and sure hand. The ink was applied to the ungessoed canvas, allowing it to bleed through to the back of the fabric. It may be that Catherine's needlework teacher, or perhaps the school's art teacher, first roughed out the scene for her, delineating the general placement of figures, columns, and draperies. It is also quite possible that a professional artist, either locally based or in a city center such as New York, provided the basic sketch on canvas for Catherine Schanck to create her masterpiece. Described in the Old Testament Book of Daniel (Chapter 5, verses 24-31), Belshazzar, King of Babylon, held a banquet at which gold and silver goblets stolen from Solomon's temple at Jerusalem after its destruction in 586 B.C. were used to drink to heathen gods. Suddenly, a mysterious hand appeared and wrote mysterious words on the palace wall. Daniel was called in to explain the words, which foretold the fall of Babylon and the death of Belshazzar if the king did not repent of his actions. Later that night, Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Persian assumed the throne. The Kingdom of Babylon fell in 539 B.C. For further information about the Middletown Point Academy, see the entry for a pencil sketch of the building also owned by the Association (accession number 2017.547). NotesCatherine Lafayette Schanck was born on 23 July 1825, a daughter of DeLafayette Schanck (1781 - 1862) and Eleanor Conover (1787 - 1873) from what is now Matawan, Monmouth County. Her father was a highly successful farmer who also ran a tanning and currying business. On 2 April 1844, Catherine married Uriah Smock (1815 - 1881). They became the parents of at least two daughters, and lived on Vanderberg Road in Marlboro. Like her family before her, the Smocks were members of Old Brick Reformed Church. Catherine Smock died on 25 January 1904 at the age of seventy-eight, and was interred in the prominent family plot at Old Brick. According to her obituary in the Freehold Transcript of 29 January 1904, "She had been an invalid for several years, having had several attacks of paralysis, which left her almost helpless." Catherine left a lengthy and complicated will that one branch of the family hotly contested, but which was finally settled after the principal contestant died. Her will devised "the picture 'Christ Before Pilate'" to her daughter Elizabeth D. B. Herbert. This may be reference to another needlework scene. All her other household possessions not willed to Mrs. Herbert were left to her granddaughter Catherine S. Hobart Van Deusen (1879 - 1954), whose daughter Dorothy Van Deusen Kissam (1913 - 2000) donated Belshazzar's Feast to the Association. Pastel portraits of Catherine Smock's parents, DeLafayette and Eleanor Conover Schanck, by itinerant New Jersey artist Micah Williams were donated to the Association in 1940 by Mrs. J. Amory Haskell (see accession numbers 1509 and 1510).

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