Louisa Pesel was an English embroiderer, educator and textile collector.
16 Facts About Louisa Pesel
1.
2.
Louisa Pesel was born in Bradford, and studied textile design at the National Art Training School, causing her to become interested in decorative stitchery.
3.
Louisa Pesel served as the director of the Royal Hellenic School of Needlework and Lace in Athens, Greece, from 1903 to 1907.
4.
Louisa Pesel produced samplers for the Victoria and Albert Museum and cushions, kneelers, alms bags and a lectern carpet for Winchester Cathedral.
5.
Louisa Pesel collected textiles extensively, and following her death in Winchester in 1947, her collection went to the University of Leeds.
6.
Louisa Pesel was born in Bradford in 1870 to Frederic and Isabella Louisa Pesel.
7.
In 1900, Louisa Pesel won a silver medal for a framed panel with inlay and applique at the Women's Exhibition in Earl's Court, London.
8.
In 1920, Louisa Pesel was elected as the first president of the Embroiderers' Guild and served until 1922.
9.
Louisa Pesel was appointed by the Board of Education as an Extra Inspector of Needlework, to provide instruction to teachers.
10.
The Bishop of Winchester, Bishop Woods, requested Louisa Pesel make cushions for the chapel attached to his residence, in 1931.
11.
Louisa Pesel designed cushions and kneelers, which were executed by the Wolvesey Canvas Embroidery Guild.
12.
Louisa Pesel, who oversaw the entire project, was helped by the artist Sybil Blunt, who designed the medallions of the bench cushions and many stall cushions.
13.
Louisa Pesel was appointed as the Mistress of Broderers at Winchester Cathedral in 1938.
14.
Louisa Pesel did not marry, and died in Winchester in 1947.
15.
Louisa Pesel had amassed or created more than 400 embroidered items, most from Turkey and Greek islands, but from Morocco, Algeria, Turkestan, India, Pakistan, Persia, Syria, China, and Western Europe.
16.
Works that Louisa Pesel collected were included in a 2020 London exhibition, "Unbound: Visionary Women Collecting Textiles".