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Course of Empire - Destruction

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Thomas Cole, 1801–1848, Destruction, about 1833–1836

100% Silk
Hand Rolled
Designed and Printed in Britain
42cm x 42cm

The Course of Empire is a series of five paintings depicting the rise and fall of an imaginary city, representing humanity as a whole. The painting Destruction, the fourth in the series, shows the complete destruction of the city while a storm rages in the background. The location is distinctly identifiable in each of the paintings, in part because of an unusual landmark: a large boulder is situated atop a crag overlooking the valley. It seems that a fleet of enemy warriors has overthrown the city's defenses, sailed up the river, and is ransacking the city and killing its inhabitants. A statue stands headless, still striding forward into the uncertain future. A detail in the lower right of the third painting in the series, "The Consummation of Empire", shows two children, maybe brothers, fighting, one clad in red and the other in green - the colours of banners of the two contending forces in "Destruction," which thus might depict a foreshadowed civil war. The children, now men, are shown, with one having finally prevailed over the other but seemingly in contemplation of the heavy price paid.

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Further Details

Artist - Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole (1801 - 1848) was one of the most influential painters of American Wilderness. Born in England, he moved to the United States as a young man, where he became one of the major 19th-century painters, focusing on landscapes and historic paintings. He was the first artist to get inspiration from European Romantic landscape to paint American landscape. He travelled all over France and Italy to get inspiration, that’s where he worked on the 5 paintings of the series Course of Empire, which showed the rise and fall of an imaginary city, representing humanity. He is said to have inspired the creation of the Hudson River School, an art movement from the 19th century whose goal was to depict the majesty of the American landscape.

Thomas Cole was a very religious man and he often included religious themes in his paintings. He wanted to use landscape to express moral meanings, often showing destruction and the fall of civilisation.

Macclesfield Printed Silk

Macclesfield was once the centre of the English silk weaving industry and the world's biggest producer of finished silk. The area has been printing silk for over 300 years and at one point had over seventy mills operating in the town. The town is close to a water supply that passes through limestone, and when used in washing and dyeing it gives silk a uniquely attractive lustre.

Our pocket squares are printed at a mill that has been producing printed fabric on the same site for the past fifty years and the process uses water sourced from its own reservoir.

Hand Rolling

The art of hand rolling pocket squares is a unique craft and truly makes each piece individual and unique. We feel that the precision and care taken by our skilled artisans gives each scarf its own unique character, finish and feel. To create the finest rolled hems, the edge of the silk or cotton pocket square must be softy turned over with a handheld needle and then small stitches are inserted approximately one half to one centimetre apart around the edge, creating a supple yet prominent border.

It’s absolutely the best way to finish a pocket square for a variety of reasons but the key ones are for both visual effect and structure. Rolling by hand is the only way to get a really nice clean plump finish on the edge and this gives a really nice depth to the edges. It’s a more expensive process than machine rolling but by using a machine you’re often left with a flat edge and you don’t get the same luxurious feel. On top of this, the rolled edges add a lot more structure to your pocket square.

Product Reviews

Datinventory - Daniel Öhrstedt - Sweden

"I was eyeing the Rampley pocket squares for quite a while and was thinking that the idea of turning classic art into pocket squares was quite brilliant and interesting.

When I finally had the chance to see the products in person I was blown away by the rich details in the prints. What you don't realise from the pictures is that the print is actually incredibly detailed even on the back of the square. This results in making it much easier to…" click to read full review.

Editor-in-chief Plaza Uomo - Erik Mannby - Sweden

"My line of work gives me a pretty unique chance of studying finely crafted clothing and accessories and if pressed, I can roll a decent hand rolled edge myself. Rampley & Co’s products are as good as it gets where handwork is considered. The pocket squares I own so far are on the same level, or better than, pocket squares that usually retail for several times the price that Rampley & Co charge. The silk is finely woven and neither too thick to become bulky in ones pocket, nor is it..." click to read full review.

Jesse - United States

"I was elated when I received the most elegant and exquisite pocket square I had ordered from Rampley & Co! It is absolutely gorgeous. The color and clarity of the scene depicted, and the quality of this accessory are truly exceptional." Read more reviews...

Tom - United Kingdom

"Very impressed by both the quality of the product and the customer service. The team fulfilled a last-minute request and got a beautiful pocket square to me via international shipping nearly instantaneously." Read more reviews...

Chris - United States

"I'm a new customer but am extraordinarily impressed with the quality of Rampley's products (so far, two pocket squares) and their customer service. I had a question about ordering ties and they've been incredibly responsive and helpful." Read more reviews...

Thorvaldur - Iceland

"I recently purchased a scarf for my wife´s Birthday and a pocket square for myself. We could not be more pleased. The items arrived promptly, beautifully presented and I received a surprise with my pocket square. I will certainly purchase more from Rampley & Co in the future." Read more reviews...