Our Embroidery Studio has started the New Year with a very special commission.

We have had the great pleasure of designing and embroidering a new ribbon to hold the master’s badge for the Arts Scholars Livery Company.

The Worshipful Company of Art Scholars seeks to represent all those involved in the study, curation, collection, and trade in antiques, antiquities, and objects of decorative and applied art.

When designing such special pieces for livery companies, the research stage is vital as it allows us to really get to know the company, its history and origins, and the contributions it makes to different charities and organisations. We are eager to capture as many of these details in the design artwork as we can, and we are able to do so through the use of carefully selected symbolic motifs.

The coat of arms for this particular livery company includes an acorn, and it was decided that oak leaves would be the perfect foliage to run up the ribbon. The Greek God Apollo is the ancient patron deity of the arts, and his sacred plant was the acanthus, so we interwove some acanthus scrolls into the embroidery too.

The design was transferred onto a scarlet grosgrain ribbon using the traditional process of prick and pounce. The embroidery was predominantly worked in silk shading. French knots were used to create texture on the acorn cups.

The company’s colours are scarlet, gold, and silver, and so this formed the basis for our colour palette.

The RSN Embroidery Studio loves a bit of sparkle where possible, and we were able to add a touch of gold to the embroidery for some very carefully positioned stars. Eager astrologers may recognise the constellation of Ursa Major (the plough), which references the astrology of Mithras (one of the Art Scholars symbols) and the seven stars which feature on his cloak.

We are sure you’ll agree that the Master of The Worshipful Company looks very smart in his new ribbon.

For past commissions

See the RSN Embroidery Studio website for past commissions and see what we can do to restore or conserve a family heirloom or create a new piece for the next generation.

Website https://rsnstudio.co.uk/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/rsnembroiderystudio/