Beaded Bag 1910 - 1930

This beaded bag, made by an anonymous artist, probably involved hours, maybe days, of stitching with tiny glass beads. I’m imagining the maker carefully threading each bead, building up these intricate patterns, and the weight of it in the hand as it gradually grew. The design is so energetic, a black field teeming with animals, stars, and geometric forms. I love the central figure: a big, white, mythical beast. Maybe the artist was thinking of illuminated manuscripts when they created this, with all those creatures, the little ducks and fabulous birds amongst the stars. The coloured beads give it a rich, tactile quality, a kind of joyful abundance. And those little dangling wheels at the edges! It reminds me that artists are always in conversation. This piece echoes the work of artists from centuries past, but also speaks to contemporary makers working with similar patterns and symbols. This bag is about more than just utility; it's a form of embodied expression, reflecting the maker's world.