Merklap van katoen waarop met rode zijde A.DE.KAT.MDK.HAV.SDK.EDK.ZDK./ ICK MK/ ANNO 1857 en een aantal voorstellingen zijn geborduurd. 1857

Editor: This cotton sampler from 1857, embroidered in red silk, is titled “Merklap van katoen…”. It feels like a little world, dense with images. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, first off, this "merklap," or sampler, isn't just decoration. Think of it as a visual language, each motif a symbol carefully chosen and rendered in thread. The animals, the figures, the floral patterns… each element carried its own cultural weight. What do these symbols suggest to you? Editor: I'm drawn to the figures – are they generic or meant to represent someone specific? Curator: Probably archetypal figures representing roles, such as motherhood. Consider the images in relation to each other, also alongside the dates and letters – what could they represent? We might also ask, “where do these motifs come from?” Editor: You mean like, were they traditional designs, or unique to the maker? The boat, for instance – is it literal, a representation of daily life, or symbolic? Curator: Exactly. Was this a coastal community, where ships played a central role? Or could the boat symbolize a journey, a life's passage, or a spiritual quest? Even the act of stitching itself carries meaning, evoking patience, skill, and the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next. Editor: It’s amazing how much can be communicated through such simple forms. I’ll definitely look at samplers differently now. Curator: Indeed! By learning how to decode their visual language, we gain insight into the worldviews and lived experiences of those who created them. The images whisper secrets across centuries.