Cross stich kits and charts - Toiles de Jouy and Oberkampf Manufactory

Cross stitch kits inspired by Toile de Jouy

The Toile de Jouy is the first theme in our Museums and Heritage cross stitch collection. This group of embroidery projects evokes the history or the fabrics created and printed at the Oberkampf Manufactory, situated in Jouy-en-Josas, a suburb of Paris and close to Versailles. It is most commonly known for pastoral scenes with characters, but the production at Jouy was much more varied, with floral prints known as “indiennes” and small prints known as “mignonettes” for upholstery.
One of the fabrics exposed in the museum, “Les Travaux de la Manufacture” (trades of the manufactory), was the inspiration for this large pattern evoking the different stages of production, giving an insight into the creativity of the entrepreneur Christophe Philippe Oberkampf.
All is explained on the large pattern chart representing this series dedicated to Toile de Jouy.

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The Toile de Jouy Museum

The Toile de Jouy museum is situated not far from the original manufactory in the Chateau d’Eglantine. Created in 1977, the museum tells not only the tale of the Oberkampf manufactory, but also the development of cloth printing in France and all the technical processes, as well as the works of other manufactories. The cloths and indiennes are displayed in rotation, so as to avoid the devastating effects of light. Some of the rooms in the Chateau are dedicated to the life of the Oberkampf family – Madame Oberkampf’s bedroom, the study of Christophe Philippe Oberkampf and the family music room.
The Toile de Jouy museum also has temporary exhibitions, more or less interesting depending on the subjects.

The lost knowledge of fabric printing

The Oberkampf Manufactory in Jouy was created just after the lifting of the prohibition of indienne fabrics in France. You can read more about the prohibition which lasted more than 70 years in our indienne fabric section.
Read the article on the history and prohibition of indiennes. This ban for over seven decades had the obvious result: the know-how of printing on cloth was lost. It was time to call back the printers who had exiled during the prohibition, most often in Switzerland and Germany.

The arrival in France of Christophe Phillipe Oberkampf

From a German Lutheran family of cloth dyers, Christophe Phillipe Oberkampf trained as an engraver and designer in Basel, moving to Mulhouse in 1755 which, at the time was a small free republic attached to Switzerland. He worked for two years at Koechlin Dollfus and Co. which would later become Dollfus Mieg and Co. (DMC), a reputed manufacturer of indienne fabrics.
In 1758 he had the visit from an emissary inviting him to return to Paris. He was joined by his younger brother, Frédéric. He took over the direction of an atelier in the famous Gobelins manufactory.

The manufactory in Jouy-en-Josas

In 1759 he decided to transfer the mill to Jouy-en-Josas, a village bordering the river Bièvre, with pure water and abundant terrains. A small detail which should not be overlooked – Jouy is situated near to the Versailles Palace. After a rocky start the manufactory developed quickly. The first building, measuring 47 metres long, was constructed in 1764. After 10 years in France, the Oberkampf brothers were granted French citizenship in 1770. In 1783, the factory received the title of Royal Manufactory from Louis XVI.

The largest printing factory in Europe

In 1787, Christophe Philippe Oberkampf is sole owner of the manufactory, and receives the title of squire from the king, with the right to have a coat of arms and motto: Recte et vigilanter (uprightness and vigilance). It became one of the most important enterprises in France, second only to the Saint Gobain royal manufactory of mirrors.
Despite the troubled period of the French Revolution, the then Committee of Public Safety demanded that Oberkampf continue his activities, recognised as “useful to the Republic”.
From 1790 to 1805, the manufactory employed almost 1000 workers, supervised by 15 people. The elite consisted of artists, designers, engravers, colourists and dyers. The handlers took care of the stock, shipment and stretching the cloths in the fields. Then came the markers who measured the cloth, the fabric folders, the roller turners, the barrow boys, the wheelwrights, the valets, the porters… As in all industries, all these trades were essential to the running of a successful company.
During the first ten years of existence, the manufactory produced mainly polychrome indiennes with floral motifs which were printed with wooden planks. They were intended for clothing purposes. From 1770, they introduced “camaïeux”, fabrics with different shades of a same colour which were then printed using copper plates. These are the now famous Jouy prints with characters which were at the time mostly used for upholstery.
The arrival of copper rollers from 1797 brought in new styles with geometric forms or inspirations from antiquity and mythology. All these styles coexisted until the closure of the manufactory.

Read the article about the production at the Oberkampf manufactory in Jouy

The Emperor Napoleon visits the Oberkampf manufactory

In 1806, two years after the accession of the Empire, the manufactory received a gold medal at the Louvre Industrial Fair. The 20th June of the same year, Napoleon visited the manufactory and, at the same time, bestowed the Légion d’Honneur on Christophe Philippe Oberkampf. However, with the divisive politics of Napoleon, supplies became hard to get and sales fell/ In 1815 Jouy was occupied by armies united against the Emperor and the manufactory closed, fearful of being pillaged. It was during this sad period that Christophe Philippe Oberkampf passed away on the 6th October.

Emile Oberkampf and Juste Barbet de Jouy

He was succeeded by his son Emile who later associated with his cousin, the manufactory took the name Oberkampf and Widmer the Elder. When his cousin committed suicide, Emile found himself alone and in poor health. He contracted an association with Jacques Juste Barbet, from a well-known family of dyers in Rouen. As mayor of Jouy for over 20 years, he renamed himself Barbet de Jouy. Emile finally handed over the manufactory to Jacques-Juste Barbet in 1822. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to keep the business running. Twenty years later, the company was bankrupt and had to close down. Twenty years later, the buildings were demolished bit by bit. Today, the only remaining building is the Maison du Pont de Pierre, today the music academy, which the Oberkampf brothers had stayed in for 9 years on their arrival in Jouy.

Two roads in Paris

Although he never lived there, a road is named after Christophe Philippe Oberkampf in the 11th district. This road was thus named in 1864 in honour of the founder, despite the manufactory being closed for over 20 years.
In the 7th district is rue Barbet de Jouy, the successor of Emile Oberkampf until the closure in 1843. Jacques-Juste Barbet de Jouy had this honour bestowed on him after giving over some of his land to the city of Paris in 1836.

See our video presentation of our Toile de Jouy cross stitch kit.

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