Towel c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous, 19th-century "Towel" made from silk and cotton, including weaving and hand-embroidered elements. It’s currently held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Its staining makes me think about everyday life in the past; What do you make of this piece? Curator: What strikes me is its simultaneous ordinariness and potential cultural significance. As a utilitarian object, a towel represents a very basic need. The presence of folk-art decoration – the hand embroidery and decorative art style – elevates its status, but that staining roots it back to its intended use. It encourages us to consider its origins, its journey from creator to user. Who made this towel? What were their social circumstances? Who used it? Editor: So, beyond being functional, the act of embroidering this suggests a particular value system, right? Maybe the maker saw beauty as vital, even in the mundane? Curator: Precisely. Examining folk art allows us to see into social histories that aren’t often recorded in formal documents. This towel is a kind of record, evidencing values placed upon handwork, upon decoration, upon taking care. It allows us to ask what institutions shaped those values, what materials were available and affordable, and ultimately, whose stories are elevated. Also, the object’s preservation in a museum context further shapes the art’s narrative. Editor: I never would have considered all that from just a simple towel. I see that everyday objects carry silent social narratives that need exploration. Curator: Precisely! Examining art through history enriches how we see art and objects.