Emma Peachey

“ Unaffected by change or climate, wax flower modelling perpetuates the transient glories of the floral seasons; places all the tender varieties under the immediate glance of the ever gratified eye of the artist, who can thus in the depth of winter exhibit to an admiring foreign guest the exotics of the far hemisphere, or the indigenous plants of her own loved land. ”

“ Peachey's group of wax flowers, modelled for the Glass Palace, is now on view at her house in Rathbone-place. Mrs. Peachey, it seems, refused the space assigned her by the Committee, on the ground that heat and darkness would, the one have destroyed, and the other shrouded the marvels of her skill. The bouquet (which is in a glass case, unsurpassed for chasteness and beauty of design) is on a gigantic scale, and contains among the rarest exotics the pride of the conservatory and the garden. ”

“ He bids each flower His quickening word obey,
Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay."
H. Kirke White.
As it will be impossible in a small volume to give instructions in all Flowers, I shall endeavour to select such as will produce a pleasing contrast of form and colour; at the same time, including flowers of every season, commencing with Spring—and who does not hail the early Flowers with delight? After a long and severe winter, the appearance of the golden crocus and the modest snowdrop, peeping from the earth, convey to the mind a glow of unspeakable pleasure. ”

“ The art of making flowers in wax has been brought to a very high degree of perfection by Mrs. Peachey, Her Majesty's artiste. There is not a floral production that she cannot truthfully and delicately reproduce with her kindly material, and she has lately executed a work which we believe defies competition in the department to which it belongs. This is an enormous bouquet, containing flowers of the most intricate structure, and supported by a rock, which peers from a lake of the brightest looking glass, decorated in its turn with waxen aquatic plants. ”

“ A visit to Rathbone-place, is a stepping from the ordinary exhibitions of mere art to a miniature garden, in which may be seen grouped together the beautiful flowers and fruits of every season and every clime. ”

“ If there be any unworthy motive for this, to us, incomprehensible exclusion of native art, let such be dissipated by the breath of public opinion. But we would fain persuade ourselves that there must be some misapprehension. The works of a lady—patronized by the Queen, to be excluded from an Exhibition open to the people of all nations—we cannot comprehend it; but for the honour and fame of the nation, hope to see in their proper places, works daily visited, and admired by the aristocracies of rank, wealth, and refined taste. ”

“ The copious table of contents possesses great attraction for persons of refined taste, embracing every variety of flower usually modelled in wax: its arrangement is calculated to lead the learner, by easy steps, from the most simple to the most elaborate accomplishment of a very delightful task. ”

“ It is not material whether the middle sheet is the same colour as the upper or under sheet. Cover a wire,—the size must be chosen according to the proportion of the leaf,—place the said wire when covered under one sheet—cut the wax into the form of the leaf required. Plunge the real leaf into cold water, and the wax into hot; while in a softened state press it firmly and quickly upon the wrong side of the real leaf. This will give a truthful imitation. If a real leaf cannot be obtained of any particular flower, they can be modelled from a plaister mould, which I shall be happy to furnish. ”

“ It is particularly easy to form: the petals require to be curled precisely as the yellow jasmine. The centre is formed by crushing two or three small pieces of orange wax to the point of a wire. The first five small petals are very faintly tinged with orange; this is merely to [30] give warmth to the centre of the flower, to make up for the deficiency of the life-glow, if I may use this term—great care must therefore be taken not to make it too dark. All the succeeding petals are placed on in rows of five, turning some of the petals forward towards the centre of the flower. ”

“ A hole is pierced in the centre with the curling pin. The finest white wire is used: affix a small piece of wax to the end, and fold it down with the wire; it must be very minute. Pass it through the front of the flower, and fasten it at the back by moulding it gently with the point of the pin. It is painted after it is made: the centre is touched with a sable brush—the colour, second yellow. The edges of the flower are coloured a brilliant blue, for which use the light blue, with minute portions of white and crimson. The buds and opening flowers are more pink than the full-blown flowers. ”

“ THE ADVANTAGE OF WAX MODELLING, OVER OTHER FANCY WORK. And one great consideration is that the sight is not likely to be injured. The eye does not require to be fixed; it does not occupy so much attention as to prevent conversation, nor need the body be bent,—a matter of much importance with growing girls, many having suffered affections of the chest, and others disfigured for life, through continually stooping to frame work. ”

“ The sketch of her artistic life, with which the talented though unpretending authoress has favoured the public, cannot fail to prove useful and encouraging to the beginner, as it fully justifies the good old proverb, that "where there is a will, there is a way;" and that way is clearly and forcibly pointed out in the Royal Guide, so as to direct with perfect ease the willing fingers of the modeller to the attainment of her object, to excel in giving form and substance to her innate perceptions of the beautiful. ”

“ It is with no insular feeling that we express the same sentiment; but, nevertheless, we do feel it to be something to boast of, that our countrywomen will not have to learn the art of Wax Flower Modelling from foreigners, many of whom however have been amongst the now nearly 50,000 visitors attracted to the collection, by the notices of the Press, and who have expressed equal approbation. ”

“ The neck of the flower is already formed from the ends of the petals; it only requires to be moulded very smooth, and coloured a light pomona green. The calyx consists of five points of green wax, placed at the end of the tube. The dark foliage is placed round in clusters, and produces a pleasing contrast to the flower. I would here observe, that this flower is particularly useful in grouping. It is a greenhouse production, and extremely fragrant in nature; it is consequently always consistent to place it in a bouquet ”

“ Those forms which our continental neighbours take such wondrous care in imitating in the perishable material of muslin, Mrs. Peachey, Her Majesty's artiste, of 35, Rathbone-place, endeavours to perpetuate in the more endurable materials of wax. Naturally afraid of jeopardising the work on which so much time and labour has been bestowed, Mrs. Peachey has withheld her contribution from the Great Exhibition; whether wisely or not, we are not here called upon to pronounce. ”

“ We are glad to know, however, that the artiste's credit will not suffer from this harsh exclusion. The labour, skill, and expense she has bestowed are already duly appreciated by a discerning public, thousands of the elite of the aristocracy and gentry having already visited Mrs. Peachey at her residence in Rathbone-place, all of whom have expressed the most unequivocal satisfaction and delight at the beauty of the specimens, which, they allege, are far superior to any in the Exhibition. ”

“ The lily is an advantageous flower in a large group. The one I am going first to notice is peculiar for its purity of colour; it is very ornamental in a garden, and is much revered in Catholic countries. Painters frequently place it in the hands of the Virgin.
The petals, six in number, are cut from double white wax: the broad or inner petals are curled as follows:—pass the head of the smallest curling pin all over the petal to make it [45] look slightly ribbed. Press the pin firmly up the centre to make a distinct crease ”

“ Grapes that might have moved Bacchus to press them with his rosy lips—peaches, melons, shiny currants, inviting strawberries, and crowning pineapples—all worthy the pencil of a Lance—glorious as the painting of nature, mockingly tempted us to seize the fairy prizes—reminding us of an anecdote of Swift. ”

“ The Danger of Modelling in Wax.—Few persons, especially, perhaps, of the many young ladies who are now practising the very pleasing art of modelling fruits, flowers, &c., in wax, at all suspect the great danger in which they are placed from the poisonous nature of the colouring matter of the wax which they handle so unsuspectingly. ”

“ The daisy may be made entirely white, crimson tipped, or crimson all over the petals: the latter are cut in single white wax, a strip at once the width of a sheet of wax. After the petals are coloured, the pin is deeply indented into each, some in fact are made quite round. The flower grows single and double, so that there is no decided number required; this must be left to the taste of the copyists; but if they prefer the double flower, the eye or centre is scarcely visible. ”

“ To take the pattern of a natural flower, you must remove the petals carefully, sorting out how many there are of an equal size. Take the shape of one out of each set, in the following manner: Place the petal upon a sheet of writing paper, holding it firmly to the paper with the point of the fore finger of the left hand. Take a large brush containing a very little colour and pass it round the edge. ”

“ I likewise prepare wax, called "double wax," it is twice as thick as the ordinary wax. When the single wax is used double, the two shining sides should be placed together. It has sheets of tissue paper placed between it to keep each sheet of wax smooth and straight (a great advantage,) for when this is not done (though the wax may be good) , the edges are often wrinkled, and a great deal of waste is the consequence.
The Colours—eleven in number, submitted for sale on my counters, 160, 161, 162, 163, Soho Bazaar, are of the very best quality, and ground down particularly fine in spirits. ”

“ When the requisite flower cannot be procured, a proper pattern can be obtained at Soho Bazaar, or at my residence, 35, Rathbone Place, where I am happy to receive visitors, daily, from ten in the morning till six o'clock in the evening. Place the pattern upon the dull side of the wax, and as the grain runs the length of the same, cut each petal accordingly, for the wax takes the paint much better in that direction.
[15]
VARIOUS FLOWERS TO BE DESCRIBED. FLORAL LIFE.
"Lord, what is life? ”

“ Who that has watched by the side of an invalid mother, would not feel an exalted pleasure in creating around her the magical representations of those flowerets and rosebuds her maternal hand was wont to rear? ”

“ To a large wire affix a piece of double green wax, cover the same with lemon wax, and press it into a triangular form: place a strip of double green wax three quarters of an inch from this point, to form a foundation to attach the petals to. Place round the foundation the brown stamina previously prepared, and then attach the petals, in rows of three or five; they vary very much in number, some flowers being much more double than others. ”