A Stitch in Time: Images of Needleworking, 1850–1920

These eight works on paper from the Museum’s collection depict women who are engaged in various facets of needlework, such as knitting, sewing, embroidering and carding. Featuring works by such artists as Childe Hassam and Jean François Millet, A Stitch in Time demonstrates a pronounced interest in the production of handmade crafts during the mid-19th century’s rise of industrial manufacturing in Europe and America. Artists who depicted needleworking as an occupation for the working classes portrayed the craft with reverence and quiet dignity. By the late 19th century, needleworking was also promoted as a craft pastime for the middle and upper classes. Many artists used their wives and immediate family members as models for their artwork. Curated by Eric Lutz, assistant curator of prints, drawings and photographs, A Stitch in Time: Images of Needleworking, 1850–1920 will be on view through June 8, 2008 in Gallery 321. Free.