GENERAL EMBROIDERY, PICTURE

The picture was hand stitched by Walter Cann, a paraplegic West Australian soldier, confined to a wheelchair following a riding accident during a military training exercise at Guildford in 1914. For a while, he lived in Anzac Hostel in Peppermint Grove (a residence for disabled soldiers) where as part of his therapy, he completed this embroidered picture, silk and cotton thread on linen.

The picture is of a large male peacock, tail down, regally perched on the branch of a tree. The striking nature of the design depicting in detail the bird’s intricate colourful feathers, appears to be an expression of Walter’s positive outlook and sunny disposition, Set in a pine wooden frame 35 mm wide.

The linen is badly stained, resulting from acidic backing in the frame. Around the edges are marks of masking tape which would have been used to edge the linen and/or attach to an embroidery frame.