The Influence of Canvas Stitch on European Artwork

The influence of Oriental work upon European has been so great that even experts hesitate sometimes to say whether a particular piece of work is Turkish or Italian. In Italian work at least, it was usual to get over the angularity of silhouette inherent in canvas stitches by working in outline separately. Satin and other stitches were worked by the old Italians, as shown in illustration 3, on square meshed canvas for the filling-in of ornamental details. The Persians ancient and modern embroider white silk upon linen, also in satin stitch,. preserving piously the rectangular and diagonal lines given by the material.