Gloria and Herbert Katzenberg and Herbert Katzenberg
Wood Weathered
1969-1973
Scroll
Physical Qualities
Wool, synthetic chenille, and metallic-wrapped synthetic embroidery threads, sections of weathered wood on wool or wool-blend ground with handmade custom frame of weathered barn wood, 23 3/8 x 19 3/4 x 1 3/8 in. (59.4 x 50.2 x 3.5 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Gloria B. and Herbert M. Katzenberg, Baltimore
Object Number
2012.583
A framed embroidered picture featuring a collaged design focused on sections of weather-etched wood attached to the patterned ground. Various "leaf" and "star" shaped motifs are embroidered free form in shades of dark, medium and yellow browns, off white, copper colored metallic wrapped, and gold colored metallic wrapped threads, rust red, lt. and medium shades of gold, and taupe combine with the wood to give an "organic" design of no identifiable or known object. The ground is a commercially produced blended wool herringbone with heavy white or off-white warps and thinner gold wefts. Variations of couched, chain, stem or outline stitch, and knotted stitches are used throughout the work. The French knots in large and small sizes are scattered around and act as a unifying device for all the larger design shapes. The larger knots throw shadows, thus adding depth to the surface. Metallic threads enliven the design and highlight the forms. The artist's initials are worked in capital letters of various size at the lower right of center. The embroidery is mounted with staples around the edges into the back of a hand-made frame of weathered barn wood constructed specifically for this piece.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2012; the artist, Baltimore, MD
Free Form: 20th-Century Studio Craft
Katzenberg, Gloria [Balder]."Art and Stitchery: New Directions," New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1974, p. 15, illus. detail in black and white; also section of colored plates, illustrated and discussed, no page or plate number.
Gloria B. Katzenberg, "Embroidery treasures of the past," The Sun, Sunday, July 30, 1978, (review of the exhibit for the Sunpapers.)
Gloria Katzenberg, "'Fabric of Jewish Life,' shown at New york museum," The Sun, Sunday, February 19, 1978.
Gloria Katzenberg, "'Fabric of Jewish Life,' shown at New york museum," The Sun, Sunday, February 19, 1978.
Inscribed: Embroidered in dark brown wool thread at the lower right are the initials: "GKB" [Glora Balder Katzenberg]. Note: the K is larger than the other two letters and is in the middle position. In most of her work, Gloria Katzenberg signs "GBK" in the proper order of initials with maiden name initial in center position and no larger than others. Typed on old paper scotch taped to the upper reverse side of the frame/embroidery [removed and kept in the object file by the curator 7-9-2014]: "Wood Weathered/ Gloria Balder/Katzenberg/ 550."
Maker
Gloria and Herbert Katzenberg
2000–2000
Gloria B. Katzenberg 1923-2015 updated to Gloria Balder Katzenberg 1923-2014. She passed away on December 30, 2014.
Born: New York, New York 1923
Died: Pikesville, Maryland 2014
Meet Gloria and Herbert Katzenberg
Born: New York, New York 1923
Died: Pikesville, Maryland 2014
