Marianne Straub
Encyclopedia
Marianne Straub was one of the leading designers of textiles in Britain during the 1940s, 50s and 60s.
She was born in the village of Amriswil
, Switzerland
on 23 September 1909. Her father was a textile merchant so it was no surprise that she was soon attracted to a career in textiles. She studied art at the Kunstgewerbeschule
in Zurich
. Her second and third years were devoted to hand weaving and textiles. To improve her skills Straub later decided to move to the textile town of Bradford
, England. She arrived in the north England town in 1932 and studied her trade at the Bradford Technical College.
After finishing her course she was invited to work at Ethel Mairet's Gospels studio at Ditchling
where she developed her hand loom techniques. By the mid 1930s Straub was working as a consultant designer for the Welsh milling industry where she learnt the skills of mass production. In 1937 she joined the firm of Helios as head designer where she developed a range of woven and printed fabrics based on her own designs. In 1950 Straub later joined the firm of Warners who were based in Braintree
, Essex.
Straub moved to the north Essex
village of Great Bardfield in 1953. Great Bardfield during the 1950s was famous for its community of talented artists (which included Edward Bawden
) and Straub became friends with most of them. During the 1950s the Great Bardfield Artists
organised a series of large "open house" exhibitions which attracted national press attention. Positive reviews and the novelty of viewing art works in the artists own homes led to thousands visiting the remote village during the summer exhibitions of 1954, 1955 and 1958. As well as these shows the Great Bardfield Artists held several touring exhibitions of their work in 1957, 1958 and 1959. On retirement from Warners in 1971 she left Great Bardfield and moved to Cambridge
.
As well as her design work, Straub was also an important textile teacher. She began to teach at the Central School of Art, London in 1956. She later taught at Hornsey College of Art
and later at the Royal College of Art
. Straub wrote a book on hand weaving and was the subject of a biography by Mary Schoeser. She was awarded the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce's distinction Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) in 1972. Straub never married and died childless in Switzerland in 1992.
She was born in the village of Amriswil
Amriswil
Amriswil is a municipality in Arbon District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-History:Amriswil is first mentioned in 799 as Amalgeriswilare. During the Middle Ages Amriswil and Brüschwil were part of a Bishop's fief. During the 15th Century, the Helmsdorf family ruled in Eppishausen...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on 23 September 1909. Her father was a textile merchant so it was no surprise that she was soon attracted to a career in textiles. She studied art at the Kunstgewerbeschule
Kunstgewerbeschule
A Kunstgewerbeschule was the old name for an advanced school of applied arts in German-speaking countries. The first such schools were opened in Kassel in 1867 and Berlin and Munich in 1868 with other German towns following. They are now merged into universities....
in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. Her second and third years were devoted to hand weaving and textiles. To improve her skills Straub later decided to move to the textile town of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England. She arrived in the north England town in 1932 and studied her trade at the Bradford Technical College.
After finishing her course she was invited to work at Ethel Mairet's Gospels studio at Ditchling
Ditchling
Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling....
where she developed her hand loom techniques. By the mid 1930s Straub was working as a consultant designer for the Welsh milling industry where she learnt the skills of mass production. In 1937 she joined the firm of Helios as head designer where she developed a range of woven and printed fabrics based on her own designs. In 1950 Straub later joined the firm of Warners who were based in Braintree
Braintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
, Essex.
Straub moved to the north Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
village of Great Bardfield in 1953. Great Bardfield during the 1950s was famous for its community of talented artists (which included Edward Bawden
Edward Bawden
Edward Bawden, CBE, RA was a British painter, illustrator and graphic artist. He was also famous for his prints, book covers, posters, and garden metalwork furniture...
) and Straub became friends with most of them. During the 1950s the Great Bardfield Artists
Great Bardfield Artists
The Great Bardfield Artists were a community of artists who lived in Great Bardfield, a village in north west Essex, England, during the middle years of the 20th century....
organised a series of large "open house" exhibitions which attracted national press attention. Positive reviews and the novelty of viewing art works in the artists own homes led to thousands visiting the remote village during the summer exhibitions of 1954, 1955 and 1958. As well as these shows the Great Bardfield Artists held several touring exhibitions of their work in 1957, 1958 and 1959. On retirement from Warners in 1971 she left Great Bardfield and moved to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
As well as her design work, Straub was also an important textile teacher. She began to teach at the Central School of Art, London in 1956. She later taught at Hornsey College of Art
Hornsey College of Art
Hornsey College of Art is a former college centred in Crouch End, London, England. Since 2008, the building has been a part of Coleridge Primary School, upon its expansion to four form entry...
and later at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
. Straub wrote a book on hand weaving and was the subject of a biography by Mary Schoeser. She was awarded the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce's distinction Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) in 1972. Straub never married and died childless in Switzerland in 1992.