ANNE WANNER'S Textiles in History / exhibitions |
permanent
exhibition: The Hanni Zahner Collection utensils for useful and beautiful needlework In early 1993, the St.Gallen
Textile Museum was given a variety of needlework
utensils, which had been collected with a great deal of
love and expert knowledge. |
A clear distinction was
made between useful and beautiful needlework. The useful
techniques included knitting, which is the basis of all
textile activities, as well as crocheting, darning and
sewing. Embroidering was regarded as a particularly nobel
activity. Working with a fine needle, with colours and
precious materials was considered to be decidedly
feminine. The production of objects that were beautiful
to behold and a joy to contemplate was believed to be
particularly conducive to the developemnt of the noble
female soul. In elevatged bourgveois circles, both embroidery and music were among the daily activities. The necessary useful needlework was done by maids and servants, who were paid wages for it. For centuries, nuns in convents produced the finest kinds of embroidery, with the greatest devotion and patience, in a position of concentration and meditation. In Eastern Switzerland, embroidering became a major source of gainful employment in the 18th century and, particularly, in the 19th century. |
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