Bauhaus Textiles: Women Artists and the Weaving Workshop

by Sigrid Weltge-Wortmann, Sigrid Weltge

The preeminence of the Bauhaus in the history of twentieth-century design is undisputed, and most aspects of it have been minutely examined. Yet its Weaving Workshop, whose artists were almost all women, has received much less attention. As the author points out, when talented women arrived at the Bauhaus school, they soon discovered that its founder, Walter Gropius, was not adhering strictly to his ringing declaration of equality "between the beautiful and the strong gender." Textiles, in the hierarchy of art and design, were deemed "women's work." In this model study, superlatively illustrated with period photographs and examples of surviving textiles, Professor Weltge recreates the heady atmosphere of creative excitement at the Bauhaus. Drawing upon original archival research and interviews with Bauhaus survivors, their students, and leading contemporary designers, the author details the Weaving Workshop's history and its enduring legacy. In the early years of the Workshop, the emphasis was on hand weaving and individual artistic expression. However, following the Bauhaus exhibition of 1923, the Weaving Workshop moved to the forefront in developing prototypes for the textile industry. Eagerly embracing advanced technology, the artists incorporated new or unusual materials, produced multilayered cloths, and made extensive use of the Jacquard loom. When the Nazis closed the Bauhaus in 1933, its members dispersed to Switzerland, Holland, England, France, Russia, Mexico, and the United States, where Black Mountain College and Mill College became Bauhaus outposts. The ideals and influence of the Weaving Workshop's artists live on in marvelous fabrics still being produced today.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Germany, School, Reference, Art Design

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

Reviews

[Georgia Whitear · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book that has the subtitle 'Women Artists...' this book was a lot about the influence of the men in the Bauhaus. I'm not saying their story and influence isn't interesting or relevant, but there are many other books about their contributions and I don't think this needed 2 chapters structured around men, most of the quotes by male Bauhausler and constant references to men who weren't even involved in the weaving workshop. The structure was all over the place, not quite chronological, not separated by different characters and not entirely thematic. It just felt like fact after fact and very little information actually went in. As a previous review says, great photos but there are other books out there with the same information.

[G 3 · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book that has the subtitle 'Women Artists...' this book was a lot about the influence of the men in the Bauhaus. I'm not saying their story and influence isn't interesting or relevant, but there are many other books about their contributions and I don't think this needed 2 chapters structured around men, most of the quotes by male Bauhausler and constant references to men who weren't even involved in the weaving workshop. The structure was all over the place, not quite chronological, not separated by different characters and not entirely thematic. It just felt like fact after fact and very little information actually went in. As a previous review says, great photos but there are other books out there with the same information.

[Kerfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conflict between art and craft--men's work and women's work--is always looming in the background in Weltge's story of how the Bauhaus Weaving Workshop grew, changed, and continues to influence contemporary textile artists.

Anni Albers hope to eliminate the prefix and find acceptance for textiles as art equal to painting and sculpture; perceptions have changed, but despite the occasional museum show featuring textiles, fiber continues be be an asterisk in the art world.

Though the Bauhaus was founded as a school for both sexes, women were encouraged to stick to the Weaving Workshop. Still they were allowed to take design and color classes, and Klee in particular had a strong impact on the many weaving students. As the Bauhaus moved towrds the integration of architecure and design, and a focus on mass production over hand-made work, the weavers, led by Albers, Gunta Stolzl, Benita Otte, and others, took on a influential role in the direction of the school. Political and personal turmoil and conflict, financial problems, and the rise of the Nazis in Germany unfortunately led finally to the permanent closing of the Bauhaus and the scattering of the instructors and their visions.

Many escaped to the United States, and the teaching of Albers, Marli Ehrman, and other Bauhaus alumni has taken root and fourished in numerous directions.

"Weavers trained in the Bauhaus manner gave their students a dual gift: sound technical grounding and the courage to experiment."

This well-illustrated history clarifies and reinforces the Bauhaus textile perspective, and gives the reader a vibrant look at both its parents and children.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great photographs...could have done better on the textual exploration.

[peyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modernism in art means Bauhaus...