{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O371916"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O371916/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O371916","accessionNumber":"958-1902","objectType":"Fire screen","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The Arts and Crafts movement has its roots in the second half of the 19th century, emerging out of a rapidly industrialising Britain. Its proponents placed a renewed focus on the materials and techniques of artisanal crafts. They sought to reunify art and craft, breaking down the division that elevated fine art over the decorative arts. Education was central to the Arts and Crafts vision for a better society, with schools, evening classes and apprenticeships enabling working-class people to improve their practical skills. In a society where women were often disadvantaged, Arts and Crafts activities allowed many to learn skills they had previously been denied. Barred from trades and the apprenticeships required to learn them, women were now able to learn a craft within the newly established arts institutes, affording them the expressive freedom and enjoyment of creative pursuits outside the home. Furthermore, craft skills provided the elusive opportunity to gain financial independence and achieve accomplishments under their own name.\r\n\r\nKate Eadie (1878-1945) attended one such institute: the Birmingham School of Jewellery and Silversmithing, established in 1890 as a branch of the Birmingham Municipal School of Art. Eadie's skills were not limited to jewellery, as she applied her knowledge of design and engraving to larger scale pieces such as this screen, and produced further works spanning stained-glass, enamel, gesso, bookbinding and illumination. She exhibited seven works, mostly enamel panels, at the Royal Academy Summer Show between 1905 and 1915. Between 1906 and 1916, Eadie exhibited her work as part of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society's annual exhibition, presenting enamel work (1906, 1916), a selection of jewellery and belt buckles (1910, 1912, 1916), a processional cross and napkin rings (1912), and a silver tea caddy (1916). In 1914, Eadie was elected an Associate of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, becoming the Society’s first female member.  \n\r\n\r\nThis screen gained the silver medal in the 1902 National Competition of Schools of Art. In the 1903 National Competition, <i>The Studio</i> magazine reported on the popularity of gesso, noting \"several careful and meritorious decorations, such as the piano-front, with coloured gesso, inlaid by Kate M. Eadie (Birmingham), where a fine sense of design was exercised in harmonious colouring.\" The following year, in 1904, Eadie won the bronze medal for another three-panel screen, described as being \"painted in tempera, the figures representing Saint Dorothea carrying a basket of roses, Saint Cecilia with her organ, and Saint Elizabeth. The colours of drapery are rather vivid against the gold background; but there is decorative skill.\" In the 1903 National Competition, Eadie was awarded a silver medal for her design for an embossed leather prayer-book case, described in the competition report as being \"very thoroughly and completely set out\" and \"eminently suitable for its purpose.\"","physicalDescription":"Limewood. Incised, stained and gilt lime, in framework of stained oak. The decoration consists of representations of the Fates; in the left leaf Clotho unwinds from the spindle the thread, which in the next Lachesis spins and in the third Atropos cuts. There is a background of trees and a row of flowers in the foreground. The back of the panels is covered with purple linen. Each pair of leaves is connected by two double hinges. The plain framework is cut above and below and each panel rests on two feet.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Eadie, Kate M. (Miss)","id":"AUTH339580"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oak","id":"AAT12264"},{"text":"limewood","id":"x42540"}],"techniques":[{"text":"staining","id":"AAT53058"},{"text":"incising","id":"AAT53829"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Stained oak, incised, stained and gilt limewood, linen","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CNHL (LOAN)","id":"THES50111"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Fire screen","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1902","earliest":"1902-01-01","latest":"1902-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"90.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"81.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Open","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Kate M. Eadie was a stained glass artist, illuminator, jeweller and engraver who lived in Birmingham and trained at the Birmingham School of Art. She exhibited seven works, mostly enamel panels, at the Royal Academy Summer Show between 1905 and 1915. Between 1906 and 1916, Eadie exhibited her work as part of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society's annual exhibition, presenting enamel work (1906, 1916), a selection of jewellery and belt buckles (1910, 1912, 1916), a processional cross and napkin rings (1912), and a silver tea caddy (1916).\n\nThis screen gained the silver medal in the National Competition, 1902. Two years later, in 1904, Eadie won the bronze medal for another three panel screen, described as being \"painted in tempera, the figures representing Saint Dorothea carrying a basket of roses, Saint Cecilia with her organ, and Saint Elizabeth. The colours of drapery are rather vivid against the gold background; but there is decorative skill.\"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Fire screen, limewood, oak, incised, stained, gilt, by Kate. M. Eadie, England, 1902","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'Miss Kate Muriel Mason Eadie', <i>Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951</i>, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"National Competition of Schools of Art, <i>The Building News and Engineering Journal</i>, July 29 1904. London: E. J. Kibblewhite."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art</i>, Vol 20 (1903) pp. 259. London: Offices of The Studio \"The Studio\" Ltd.\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Board of Education, South Kensington. <i>National competition 1903: List of students rewarded, with the report of the examiners.</i> London: Wyman and Sons."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["958-1902"],"accessionNumberNum":"958","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1902,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-19","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":false}}