Purse 1776 - 1799

This is a purse, probably made with wool or cotton using needlepoint, by Deborah Hill at an unknown date. Given the textile arts’ traditional association with women, this might seem like an unremarkable object to find displayed in a museum. But let’s take a closer look at this purse’s cultural context. Before the Industrial Revolution, most clothing and household items were handmade, making needlework a necessity across many levels of society. But as textile production became increasingly industrialized in Europe and America, needlework shifted from a practical skill to a leisure activity. The rise of the middle class, with more women having more time for leisure, created a market for elaborate, decorative needlework projects. Recognizing the social forces that shape artistic production allows us to examine this purse not just as a functional item or a decorative craft, but as a cultural artifact that speaks to shifting gender roles and economic transformations. By consulting historical archives, fashion history resources, and studies of women’s labor, we can continue to learn about the complex relationship between art, society, and individual expression.