POINT DE ROSE

Point de Rose was a variation on Point de Gaz needlepoint lace. First introduced at the World Exhibition in London in 1862, it only became available to the general public in 1870, The introduction of Point de Rose gave a boost to the waning lace industry in Brussels, which managed to survive until the beginning of the 20th century.

The main feature of Point de Gaz was its light, gauze-like ground from which its name was derived. The ground was made up of an hexagonal mesh of twisted threads, with lots of ring-like small motifs and scattered flowers. The patterns often represented naturalistic themes and floral arrangements.

Point de Rose focused on floral arrangements, more often than not on roses, hence the name. The most distinct characteristic of Point de Rose is the three-dimensional effect its makers achieved. The roses were made up of several layers, only partially attached to the ground, which functioned as the petals. This technique created a lot of depth and the heavy design, combined with the delicacy of the net, produced a very elegant effect.

The inspiration for this three-dimensional design came from Japanese art. Japanese artists used the same technique of applying different layers, known as 'ritaiteki', in an attempt to depict nature in a realistic and attractive way.

Another way to give designs more depth and substance is creating shadow effects. In Chantilly bobbin lace, lacemakers created shadow by working tighter with the bobbins. In Brussels needlelace, such as the Point de Rose, various stitches were applied to produce the shadow effect.

Roses formed the main theme of the Point de Rose designs because they were deemed the most beautiful flowers, as well as the best known ones. But, under the influence of Japanese art and its attention to detail, other elements were introduced into the designs, such as fruits and insects, which have a specific symbolic meaning.

On the photograph on the right you can for instance see a butterfly. This was a very powerful and profound symbol : The Greek word ‘psyche’ means butterfly as well as soul, dating from the belief that human souls became butterflies while searching for a new reincarnation. Butterflies are symbols for the soul in both eastern and western cultures, but they also stand for other things, such as beauty, metamorphisis and the transitory nature of happiness.

(click on pictures to enlarge)