Exhibition 'Samplers - Stitching Stories' in Central Art Gallery
Samplers – Stitching Stories
13 April – 30 June 2018
An Exhibition of Samplers and Embroidery from Tameside
The embroideries in this exhibition tell stories – from the lives of local women struggling to work and raise families during the nineteenth century, to soldiers of the Manchester Regiment stationed in far-flung imperial outposts and fighting in the trenches of the Western Front.
Practice pieces known as samplers often included embroidered flowers, quaint cottages and religious verses. However, the charming subject matter often hides the difficult circumstances in which they were produced. This exhibition explores the stories behind the samplers.
Although largely considered a pastime for women and girls, embroidery was also practiced by men. This exhibition includes pieces by soldiers whose skilful needlework helps to tell the story of the Manchester Regiment during the late nineteenth century.
During the First World War embroidered postcards were collected and sent by soldiers serving on the Western Front to loved ones back home. Stitched by French and Belgian women, they incorporated patriotic emblems and symbols of love and friendship. The brightly coloured threads would have contrasted with the khaki and brown of the trenches, helping to boost morale at the Front and in Britain.
As well as being creative and decorative works, these embroideries hold fascinating stories within their stitches.