Merklap van linnen met een stramien van rode leters en cijfers, in rood gemerkt: '18GFG88' en in bruin met een wollen draad: 'GG' c. 1888 - 1894

Editor: This is a "Merklap van linnen met een stramien van rode leters en cijfers," or a Linen Sampler with a pattern of red letters and numbers, made around 1888-1894 by G. Glas. It feels almost… ghostly, seeing these carefully stitched characters from so long ago. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: It whispers of quiet dedication, doesn’t it? To me, these samplers are poignant time capsules. Beyond a practice piece to hone needlework, this *merklap* is a self-portrait, wouldn't you say? Imagine the young person painstakingly stitching each letter, number, a concentrated hum of creative energy. And then initials at the bottom - whose were these, do you wonder? What stories did these hands hold? Editor: It makes me think about how different learning those skills was back then. We’re so detached from that kind of slow, manual creation. Curator: Exactly. Think of it as a form of literacy - not just in letters, but in the language of craft. What's particularly moving is its imperfect beauty. See the slight inconsistencies in the stitches, the color variations? These aren't flaws but are human signatures embedded in the fabric, proof of that concentrated hum of energy. Each stitch reveals someone's humanity. Editor: I hadn't considered it as a kind of portrait before, or even literacy! It seems so obvious now that you point it out. Curator: It's all about reframing our perception. What started as a set of required needlework exercises transformed into self-portrait of dreams and everyday practices. The piece resonates because those quiet moments are still valuable.