Going Back in Time at the NGV
After hearing that there was an embroidery exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, I couldn’t help but go and check it out. Exquisite Threads: English Embroidery 1600s-1900s is packed full of amazing examples of embroidery from pieces of history that are hard to even imagine in the society we now live in. I was initially blown away by the simple samplers created by young girls for centuries. It’s hard to imagine that such a young girl would be put to work to create something not only very well crafted, but as part of their education. These samplers were the first piece of stitching that a young girl created in preparation for her future married life – hard to believe in 2015! The stitches were of very high quality for a young child and certainly left me wondering whether I could create something so neat, even now.
As I moved through the exhibition, I discovered even more amazing work. This eye catching embroidered apron left me wondering whether it was ever actually used as an apron. The intricately embroidered flowers and leaves are amazing; I can’t imagine how long it must have taken to finish.
The style of this silk vest was once very popular in England, and was worn as part of a suit. Again, it’s hard to imagine just how much time went into the creation of these garments. Anything made with this amount of hand embroidery in England today would be considered haute couture, and yet this was once a popular style. These garments are a reminder of just how fast fashion has become. Not only is it uncommon to sew your own clothes, but almost unimaginable to own a garment that took anywhere near this amount of time to create. What interested me most was that the embroidered pieces were usually pre-made and sold to tailors, who would then cut them to fit their customer. It’s crazy to think that some of these hand embroidered flowers were simply cut off and thrown in the bin.
The exhibition then moved into slightly more recent times with this Arabian style golden cape and the 1920s dress below. These garments show a transition from the floral dominated designs of the 1600s-1800s and into more geometric patterns. The below cape was sold in Liberty and takes it’s inspiration from Arabia, a refreshing change from the traditional English designs.
If you’re in Melbourne and curious to investigate the history of embroidery, I definitely recommend having a look at this exhibition. Entry is free and it’s open until 12 July.
