Borduurlap van zijde op katoenen mousseline c. 1880 - 1905

This embroidery sampler was made with silk on cotton mousseline at the Industrieschool De Windroos. This piece is not just an example of needlework; it’s a testament to the kind of patient, skilled labor that was once commonplace. The cotton mousseline provides a delicate ground for the silk embroidery, which has been worked to create a variety of geometric patterns. Notice the contrast between the openwork sections and the denser embroidered areas, which create a play of light and shadow. The term 'Industrieschool' suggests a setting focused on vocational training. Such schools aimed to equip individuals, often women, with skills marketable in a manufacturing context, or applicable in the domestic sphere. Here, the tradition of embroidery meets the demands of industry, reflecting a moment when craft skills were being formalized and commodified. In this light, the sampler is more than a display of technique, it's a document of social history.