Embroidery 1937

Edith Magnette made this drawing of embroidery with what looks like graphite or ink and wash on paper, sometime in the 20th century. The level of detail is pretty incredible; look at the way each little stitch and pattern has been carefully recorded. It makes me think about the tradition of craft, and of women's work. The embroidery itself is so delicate, but the drawing is quite solid and grounded. The grey background really flattens the image, creating a contrast between the almost photorealistic rendering of the lace and the simple way the space has been depicted. I wonder if Magnette was thinking about how to make something so ephemeral, so intricate, into a more permanent form. It reminds me of Agnes Martin's drawings in its quiet dedication to a single idea. There's a kind of humility here, a willingness to let the process speak for itself. In the end, this piece, like so much art, becomes a meditation on time, labor, and the beauty of the everyday.