MARISKA KARASZ Hungarian-American, 1898–1960 Two Embroidered Needlework Panels: "Influences" and "The Ferris Wheel" Needlework Left, rhythmic arrangement of horizontal bands of open-mesh netting, variegated yarns, with red and orange highlights. Right, fine linear threads connect a series of delicate, square-shaped "patches" of needlelace and darning. "Influences:" 19 in. x 16 in.; "The Ferris Wheel:" 18 in. x 21 3/4 in. $1,000-1,200
ARTIST PROFILE: Mariska Karasz was a pioneering Hungarian-American textile artist, fashion designer, and author who transformed the traditional craft of embroidery into a sophisticated medium of abstract expressionism. Born in Hungary in 1898 and immigrating to New York at sixteen, she was the younger sister of renowned designer Ilonka Karasz and carved her own path by blending Hungarian folk motifs with a sleek, modern American sensibility. Her early career saw her rise as a prominent fashion designer, even managing her own department at Wanamaker’s, where she was celebrated for her handmade blouses and practical, original children’s wear. However, after a studio fire and the onset of World War II curtailed her fashion career, Karasz pivoted toward the fine arts, gaining international acclaim in the 1950s for her avant-garde wall hangings. These pieces were noted for their "alchemy" of materials, mixing silk, wool, and cotton with unconventional fibers like horsehair, hemp, and wood to create tactile, rhythmic compositions. A prolific educator and advocate for the "modern needlewoman," she authored influential books such as Adventures in Stitches and served as a guest editor for House Beautiful, tirelessly promoting "stitchery" as a legitimate fine art. Though her contributions were temporarily obscured by the gender biases of 20th-century art history, contemporary retrospectives—such as those at the Georgia Museum of Art and the Baltimore Museum of Art—have reclaimed her legacy as a vital figure in the American studio craft movement, whose work beautifully balanced the spontaneity of a "free-wheeling" artist with a deep, technical mastery of color and texture.
Condition: In fair condition. One of the frames is broken. Both have loose strings.
