Embroidery c. 1936

A. Zimet created this design for an embroidery, date unknown, using watercolor and graphite. The work is organized within a circle. A landscape of brown trees, shrubbery, and a strange urn are in the middle of the circle, while the border is a garland of flowers and wheat. The piece blends natural motifs with highly stylized elements, creating a contrast that invites closer inspection. The landscape scene appears contained and deliberate, while the garland bursts with an almost excessive ornamentation. The combination of floral beauty and cultivated nature could speak to the Victorian interest in classifying nature, and bringing it into the domestic sphere through embroidery. What do you make of the artist's choices? How do the colors contribute to the overall mood and message? Consider how the arrangement of elements and the choice of imagery invite us to consider themes of nature, culture, and representation.