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Object Timeline

1973

  • Work on this object began.

1976

  • We acquired this object.

2012

2013

2014

2024

  • You found it!

Hanging (England)

This is a Hanging. It was designed by Peter Collingwood (British, 1922 – 2008) and made by Peter Collingwood (British, 1922 – 2008). It is dated 1973 and we acquired it in 1976. Its medium is linen, metal rods and its technique is macro gauze. It is a part of the Textiles department.

Peter Collingwood was consumed by his interest in textile structures, fascinated by “the myriad ways man has found of manipulating threads.” This fueled a lifelong passion for collecting textiles from around the world. “Sometimes, I just had to acquire something so I could decipher its puzzling technique,” he said.



Collingwood himself was responsible for developing several original weaving techniques. Hanging is an example of one of his technical and aesthetic weave innovations: macro gauze. This warp dominant weave structure, devised in the 1960s, allows warp threads to deviate from their conventional vertical path and move at angles, or even cross each other. Collingwood’s macro gauze typically incorporated monochromatic linen and metal rods to create abstract hangings with strong geometric visuals. It is also distinguished by its limited use of weft threads. Macro gauze was developed “in order to make the loom do something it hadn’t done before,” Collingwood explained.

This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Structure and Material in Perfect Harmony.

It is credited Museum purchase from Friends of Textiles Fund.

  • Hanging, Vitae
  • linen, wool, silk.
  • Gift of Elizabeth Gordon.
  • 1964-24-65
  • Hanging (USA)
  • silk, synthetic metallic yarns.
  • Gift of Mr. Eric and Mrs. Sylvia Elsesser, The Trude Guermonprez Archives.
  • 1993-121-25

Its dimensions are

H x W: 148 x 104 cm (58 1/4 x 40 15/16 in.)

Cite this object as

Hanging (England); Designed by Peter Collingwood (British, 1922 – 2008); linen, metal rods; H x W: 148 x 104 cm (58 1/4 x 40 15/16 in.); Museum purchase from Friends of Textiles Fund; 1976-37-1

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If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18490711/ |title=Hanging (England) |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=24 April 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>