t daunted by difficulties that would have discouraged the
most ambitious and audacious craftswoman, Mme. de Rudder took for a
subject 'The Fates,' to decorate a screen. Aside from the artistic
interest attaching to this work, it is remarkable for another quality.
The artist yielded to the instinctive liking that she had for useful
art--she ornamented a useful article--and in mastering the technical
difficulties of her work she created the new method called
're-embroidery.' For the dresses of her 'Fates' ancient silks were
utilized for a background. Some of the pieces had moth-holes, which
necessitated the addition of 'supplementary ornamental motives,'
'embroidered on cloth to conceal the defects.' The discovery of
're-embroidery' was the result of this enforced expedient.

"This screen, finished in 1896, was exhibited at the Cercle Artistique,
Brussels, where the mayor, M. Buls, saw it. Realizing the possibilities
of the method and the skill of the artist, he gave an order to Mme. de
Rudder to decorate the Marriage Hall of the Hotel de Ville. This order
was delivered in 1896. During this period Mme. de Rudder worked
feverishly. About the same time that the order for the Hotel de Ville was
given, she received from M. Van Yssendyck, architect of the Hotel
Provincial in Ghent, a commission to design and embroider six large
allegorical panels. One of them represented 'Wisdom' in the habiliments
of Minerva, modernized, holding an olive branch. The five others were
'Justice,' holding a thistle, symbolizing law; 'Eloquence,' crowned with
roses and holding a lyre; 'Strength,' bending an oak branch; 'Truth,'
crushing a serpent and bearing a mirror and some lilies; and 'Prudence,'
with the horn of plenty and some holly. These six panels are remarkable
for the beautiful decorative feeling that suffuses their composition. The
tricks of workmanship are varied, and all combine to give a wonderful
effect. Contrary to the form of presenting the 'Fates,' all the figures
are draped."

Her next important commission was for eight large panels, intended to
decorate the Congo Free State department in the Brussels Exposition.
These panels represent the "Triumph of Civilization over Barbarism," and
are now in the Museum at Tervueren. They are curious in their symbols of
fetichism, and have an attraction that one can scarcely explain. The
above are but a part of her important works, and naturally, when not
absorbed by these, Mme. de Rudder ex