Hardwick Hall: Artist 'reimagines' lost 16th Century embroidery

An artist has "reimagined" a missing embroidery from one of Elizabethan England's most significant stately homes.

"Virtuous Woman", a 3m x 3.4m textile piece, is a modern version of an embroidery that has been lost over time at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire.

The piece, representing "brilliant women", is the same size and scale as the 16th Century item and consists of recycled fabric donated by staff and visitors.

Creator Layla Khoo said her new item "represents and reflects the wide-ranging views, beliefs and life experiences of Hardwick's visitors".

In 1573, Bess of Hardwick commissioned five monumental applique embroideries for her stately home, but one did not survive through the centuries and became known as the "lost embroidery".

The five original appliques were also made from recycled fabrics, including Catholic vestments taken during the reformation of the church and the dissolution of the monasteries.

The pieces were made to portray Bess of Hardwick's virtues and were hung up inside Hardwick Hall to inform others of her importance, wealth, education and values.

The textiles express this information through women she had chosen to be depicted in them.

These included Lucrecia with Chasteti and Liberaliter, Penelope with Perseverans and Paciens, Zenobia with Magnanimitas and Prudentia, with the fourth including Athemesia with Constans and Pietas.

The fifth "lost embroidery" featured Cleopatra with Justicia and Fortitudo.

Between April and June 2024, visitors to Hardwick took part in the creation of the new piece, cutting, sewing and embroidering words of virtue or value from today's time.

Fabric that included names of virtuous women was then sewn into the dress of the central figure in the piece, which was completed on Monday.

Instead of recreating the original 16th Century Cleopatra piece, Ms Khoo said the central figure was a woman "who we might align our values with today".

After choosing Dolly Parton as her virtuous woman, Ms Khoo said: "We asked people to consider the virtues and values we aim for today, and the women we look to who represent them, nominating their own 'virtuous woman' to add to the piece.

"It has been an absolute joy to see so many visitors come forward to not only nominate their chosen woman, but share, discuss and debate the reasons for their choices."

The National Trust, which owns the property, said the new piece would go on display to the public inside Hardwick Hall during 2025.

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