Marianne Margaret Compton Cust Alford

Marianne Margaret Compton Cust Alford
Marianne Margaret Compton Cust Alford (1817–1888) was a British writer and art historian known for her contributions to Victorian art and culture. She wrote extensively on art and gardening, with her notable works including "Needlework as Art" (1886) and "The Decorative Arts of the Nineteenth Century" (1859). Alford was deeply engaged in the promotion of the decorative arts and served as a prominent figure in cultural circles of her time. She was married to Viscount Alford, and after his death, became the Countess of Brownlow.

Author's Books:


PREFACE. In the Preface to the “Handbook of Art Needlework,” which I edited for the Royal School at South Kensington in 1880, I undertook to write a second part, to be devoted to design, colour, and the common-sense modes of treating decorative art, as applied especially to embroidered hangings, furniture, dress, and the smaller objects of luxury. Circumstances have, since then, obliged me to... more...

PREFACE. In drawing up this little “Handbook of Embroidery” we do not pretend to give such complete technical directions as would enable a beginner in this beautiful art to teach herself; because learning without practical lessons must be incomplete, and can only lead to disappointment. We have sought, therefore, only to respond to the inquiries we are constantly receiving, and to supply useful... more...