Hemd met halve mouwen, kleinmodel, vervaardigd op de Normaalschool te Deventer c. 1888 - 1894

Curator: Here we have a seemingly simple object, a "Shirt with Short Sleeves, Small Model, Made at the Normal School in Deventer," dating back to around 1888-1894. The tag attributes it to G. Glas, and it appears to be made of textile. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It’s the utter plainness, almost…sterile. It feels so distant from today's elaborate clothing. What's there to see in something so basic? Curator: Ah, but that’s the trick, isn't it? The beauty in the everyday, in the utilitarian. It takes us back, almost like archaeology in cloth. Can you imagine the hands that made this, the students at the Deventer Normal School, diligently practicing their needlework? Were they dreaming of revolutionising haute couture, or simply mastering a craft? And the fibre art is almost drawing with thread, isn't it? Like sketching a life in linen. Editor: Drawing with thread, that's lovely. I suppose seeing it as a student piece changes things. Like seeing the effort. Was it a sample piece, do you think? Curator: It very well could have been a practice piece. The care taken in the stitching suggests that a more significant outcome was envisioned, or at least that there was some pride involved in its creation. Perhaps they weren’t all dreaming of fashion empires, but of making something functional and long-lasting. Now, I want you to step closer to it, if you were able. Close your eyes for a second... Now, open them! Can you almost *feel* the fibers of the cloth and envision this garment being used in everyday life? Editor: That… that's weirdly effective. It is easier to imagine. Almost like feeling the history in it. Curator: Exactly! It's the stories these textiles whisper that intrigue me most. Each stitch, a breath; each crease, a memory. Not as glamorous as a Van Gogh, perhaps, but no less vital. I almost imagine the ghost of the person that had to wear this shirt and I smile, knowing someone crafted something for them. A gift given in good spirit to another human. Editor: So it is about more than what you see, it is what you make of what you see. The stories are important. Thanks! Curator: Precisely! Until you connect with the hidden story it's a blank sheet! It's been an absolute pleasure sharing this little bit of linen with you!