Handmade Embroidery c. 1936

This pencil drawing of handmade embroidery was created by Edith Magnette, who lived between 1855 and 1995. Though undated, we can interpret this piece through the social history of design and craft in America. The drawing depicts a delicate piece of needlework, likely intended as a decorative element for clothing or home furnishings. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, embroidery was a common pastime and a marker of domestic skill, particularly for women of the middle and upper classes. The attention to detail in Magnette's drawing suggests not only technical skill but also an appreciation for the artistry involved. We can ask questions of how institutions like design schools or craft guilds may have impacted Magnette’s creative output. Further research into design catalogs, women's magazines, and period household manuals could reveal the social and cultural significance of embroidery at the time, and reveal what was considered artistically significant for women at the time.