Naaigarnituur in parelmoeren doos c. 1826

This is a sewing kit in a mother-of-pearl box, made by Balthasar Wigand, who was born in 1771. It invites us into the intimate world of domestic craft during a time of significant social change. Consider the personal nature of sewing, traditionally a female domain, and how such objects reflected a woman's identity and role in society. Mother-of-pearl, a luxury material, signals the owner's social standing, while the sewing kit itself speaks to the skills and expectations placed upon women. The painted scene on the box’s lid may represent not just a landscape, but also an idealized version of the world outside the domestic sphere. Its placement on the box is itself suggestive of the limits placed on women's mobility and experience. Through this small, decorative object, we can consider how gender, class, and personal expression intertwined in the everyday lives of women. We are encouraged to reflect on their stories, creativity, and the quiet resistance found within the stitches and seams of their time.