With everything that
is going on in the world today, this Hutchinson rug captures the current sentiment…
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| Hooked rug attributed to James & Mercedes Hutchinson. |
If you’re wondering…What inspired this rug’s inscription?
Take, Oh! Take Those Lips Away!
Here is a poem
written by an anonymous poet…
Take,
oh take those lips away,
That
so sweetly were forsworn,
And
those eyes: the break of day
Lights
that do mislead the Morn;
But
my kisses bring again, bring again,
Seals
of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain.
It is said that this
poem is often misattributed to William Shakespeare, who used it in his 1600s play
titled --- Measure for Measure.
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| William Shakespeare (1564-1616) |
Shakespeare’s play was
set in Vienna and the verse/poem was sung by a boy to Mariana in Act IV, Scene
I. Mariana, the woman whom Angelo promised to marry before abandoning her, is reneging
on his promise. The play’s overall tone was bittersweet and melancholy.
 |
| John Fletcher (1579-1626) |
John Fletcher, a distinguished
Jacobean playwright and poet, who even looked like Shakespeare, added a second
stanza to the poem and used it in his own play in 1621, titled The Bloody
Brother (also known as Duke of Normandy), in Act V, Scene II. It was
later published as a stand-alone poem.
Take,
oh take those lips away,
That
so sweetly were forsworn,
And
those eyes: the break of day
Lights
that do mislead the Morn;
But
my kisses bring again, bring again,
Seals
of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain.
Hide,
O, hide those hills of snow
Which
thy frozen bosom bears,
On
whose tops the pinks that grow
Are
yet of those that April wears!
But
first set my poor heart free,
Bound
in those icy chains by thee.
But how did the 1st
line of this verse inspire the Hutchinsons to inscribe it in their hooked rug?
Perhaps they were admirers
of Shakespeare or Fletcher’s work. Another theory may be credited to song composer
--- Roger Quilter. Quilter began publishing his song compositions in 1900. His
compositions had a natural flow, nearly always enhancing the rhythm of the
words, rather than forcing the words into a preconceived melody. One factor,
which raises Quilter’s songs above the level of most contemporaries, is his
choice of using poetry as the words in his melodies. One of his favorite poets
was Shakespeare. In 1921, Quilter published the song, Take, o take those
lips away, op. 23 no. 4, stanza 1 [voice and piano; voice and piano
quartet; or voice, harp, and strings], from Five Shakespeare Songs
(Second Set), no. 4, in London, England.
Quilter composed more
than 100 songs from 1900 through the 1940s. This particular song was popular in
the 1920s. The Hutchinsons were producing and selling hooked rugs (with
inscriptions) from the late 1920s to the 1950s.
Perhaps the rug’s
inscription was inspired by any one or a combination of: the original/anonymous poem,
Shakespeare's play, Fletcher’s play & poem – which the Hutchinsons may have read or seen performed in
New York City, or they may have heard Quilter’s song – performed live, on the
radio or phonograph. We will never know for sure, but you can enjoy the song, beautifully
sung here by Mark Stone, click on photo caption.
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| Roger Quilter (1877-1953) |
What we do
know, is that favorite Hutchinson themes include Courtship, Love, & Romance, often
represented by troubles or challenges --- which are distinctively visible in
both the hooked rug’s inscription and its pictorial scene, as the maiden holds up her hand in protest.
So now, while
we are refraining from KISSING & HUGGING, don’t forget to do what the
Hutchinsons did...
Add a DOSE of HUMOR to DAILY LIFE!
For more
info on the Hutchinsons & their hooked rug collection:
