"Following the career of the Irish lace designer Emily Anderson (1856-1948), this book charts a path through the many institutions, organizations, philanthropic initiatives and government bodies that supported, promoted and monitored the crafting and design of lace in late-19th- and early-20th- century Ireland. This narrative highlights the craft's development and cultural meaning in a pivotal time in Irish history. It explores the interconnectedness of lace with deeply politicized, gendered and class-based discourses surrounding design, education, taste and industry, and traces female professionalization in craft in Ireland"-- Provided by publisher.
Following the career of the Irish lace designer and inspector Emily Anderson (1856-1948), this book traces a network of designers, makers, organizations and institutions involved in the late-19th and early-20th-century Irish lace industry and explores their contemporary relevance.
Molly-Claire Gillett maps the Irish lace industry's connection to stakeholders such as the British Department of Science and Art, the Cork School of Art, The Irish Agricultural Organisation Society and the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, pairing a close study of patterns and techniques with an investigation of broader issues in design education, philanthropy and women's professionalization. Concluding with a consideration of contemporary Irish lacemaking now proudly claimed as an element of Ireland's intangible cultural heritage Gillett tells the story of a 20th-century shift in the conception of lace design as 'art for industry', and lacemaking as an economic necessity to both practices as expressions of identity, creativity and community-building.
Richly illustrated and framed within the narrative of Anderson's life and career as a woman designer and civil servant during a pivotal moment in Irish history, Irish Lacemaking is an essential resource for students and researchers in craft, women's history and Irish Studies.
An engaging and richly-illustrated critical study of lace design and making in Ireland from 1883 to the present day.
