Ongemerkte naai- en stoflap van linnen en katoen met 11 stoppen of tussenzetsels, 4 splitten waarvan 1 split met haakwerk in de punt, 6 knoops- en 4 bindgaten c. 1888 - 1894

Editor: This undated piece, created between 1888 and 1894, is described as a mixed-media sewing sample of linen and cotton, featuring additions of darning and woven patches. It strikes me as both simple and complex, a very pragmatic object made from the barest essentials. What draws your eye, what symbols are evident here? Curator: What immediately captures my attention is the repeated geometry, squares embedded within a larger rectangle. This isn't just an arrangement of fabric; it speaks to a system, perhaps a personal code. Notice the varied stitches. Each could represent a memento of patience and careful mending in contrast to today’s consumerism, which has arguably fostered careless discards. How does this object inform cultural memory? Editor: It is striking how such a seemingly plain object resonates with those bigger ideas of consumption versus care and repair. But are we perhaps reading too much into the plain squares, might this just be how textiles of the time looked like? Curator: The 'plainness' is itself a potent signifier, isn’t it? The consistent use of similar materials, the lack of overt decoration… these choices reflect a deliberate engagement with functionality and material honesty. The squares may represent fragments of everyday experiences woven together. Perhaps an echo of women’s history through anonymous creation. Think about this object as a potential time capsule, bearing a silent visual language and whispering stories of domesticity and necessity. Don't you agree that those humble materials acquire new layers of cultural significance? Editor: I absolutely see that now. Thank you; looking at this textile as an encoding, it is so much richer than I had first supposed. It goes beyond just function and has powerful narratives of its own!