Geborduurde handtas before 1874

This is a printed image of an embroidered handbag by Isabel Agnes Cowper. While the bag's date isn't known, Cowper lived from 1826 to 1911, during the Victorian era in England, and she was known for her embroidery. The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction against industrialisation at the time. This bag, with its floral design and delicate craftsmanship, embodies the movement's ideals. Such movements often looked back to pre-industrial times for aesthetic inspiration. We can consider this bag as an intimate object that reflects Victorian values of domesticity, femininity and the importance of craft. By researching Cowper's life, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the social history of Victorian England, we can understand the meaning of this bag as more than just a decorative object, but as a reflection of its time.