dk nkf - Nordisk Konservatorforbund Danmark

weaving, the imported machine spun yarns were often
used for the warp while the hand spun yarns were
preferred for the weft.
The use of power looms for weaving flax was also
more complicated than the weaving of cotton and
wool, as it was difficult to keep en even tension of
the warp threads. The invention of a vibrating roller
and the introduction of a dressing of the warp threads
solved some of the problems, but it was not until the
second half of the 19 th century that power weaving
of flax escalated in England, and in Denmark power
looms were probably not introduced until the late 19 th
century.
The power looms for weaving linen were initially
used to produce sail cloth and coarse canvases, and
during the second half of the 19 th century canvases
woven on power looms were becoming increasingly
common in England whereas it took longer before
the machines came into use on the continent (in
Germany and France around 1875) and finally in
Denmark in the late 19 th century. In 1893 Grenaa
Dampvæveri started using the “new technology”
power looms. After a few years it became the biggest
manufacturer in the country of cotton and linen as
well as woollen textiles [10]. However, some mills
kept up hand weaving like the Køng Mill where
power looms were never employed [11].
In 1883, inspector of customs J. Hjorth notes in his
dictionary of commercial products that the foreign
mass production, as a result of the power loom, meant
that the domestic handicraft was about to be phased
out [12]. As mentioned, the power loom was by all
accounts still not common in Denmark by then [13].
The general picture in the textile trade during the
19 th century was in fact that the popularity of linen
fell during the century as its place was taken over by
cotton products. Yet linen remained the chosen support
for canvas paintings due to its durability and stiffness.
Customs regulations
A particular issue affecting the 19 th century linen
trade in Denmark was the customs regulations.
Early in the century the laws were defined by
protectionism. High customs barriers meant that
for instance flax and linen cloth was among the
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most expensive goods to import, as the Danish
government was trying to protect the local linen
market from the competition. In 1838 a slightly more
liberal customs law was passed, setting the duty for
importing flax, wool and cotton yarns relatively low
at 3 -8% of the value, as these commodities were
used in the local industries [14]. The woven canvas,
on the other hand, was still taxed with 25-30% of
its value, though cheaply made, inferior qualities
of linen from Germany as well as international
trading politics meant that some foreign canvas was
still competitive on the Danish market [15]. At the
same time the high customs duties led to smuggling,
and ships from Pomerania for instance, supposedly
carrying timber, were caught having canvas as
contraband [16].
But ideas of liberalism were gaining support, and in
1863 yet another customs law was passed by which
flax, hemp and cotton could now be imported free
of duty. However, canvases were continually taxed
heavily and the law was not the radical reform that
some had hoped for. This came much later, when
the linen industry in Denmark was no longer of any
significance.
Canvas remained a highly taxed import commodity
during the entire 19 th century, whereas foreign yarns
could enter into the Danish manufacture at a realistic
cost, especially after 1863. An example of this was
the Køng Mill where imported machine spun flax
was weaved by hand [17].
Danish 19th century artists’
access to commercially produced,
primed canvas
Various written sources indicate that Danish painters
had access to commercially produced and primed
painting canvases as well as other materials from an
early date in the 19 th century. Among the firms selling
artists’ tools and materials one of the earliest was the
Copenhagen firm of H.J. Bing & son, established
1819, which was supplier to several of the Danish
Golden Age painters [18]. Later in the century other
firms emerged, like Valdemar Kleis (est. 1831), A.
Stelling (est. 1860), August With (est. 1875), Ernst
Henriques (from 1891) and M. Arnbak (est. 1890s).
Some of these also had imported products in their