Belgian War Lace 1914-1918

Description

Belgian War Lace 1914-1918 – The collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History

English version

Co-authored by Ria Cooreman, Curator of Textiles for the Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels, and Evelyn McMillan, Librarian Emerita, of Stanford University.

Fifty thousand lacemakers, led by four determined women, worked to keep the Belgian lacemaking tradition alive during WWI. Their endeavors created the distinctive style known as war lace with its symbolic references to the invasion and occupation of Belgium. Many noted Belgian artists, two famine-relief organizations, and one future president of the United States played crucial roles in preserving this national art form in the midst of a long and brutal war.

The Royal Museums of Art and History hold the largest known collection of war lace. This catalogue documents their collection, while presenting the history of the endeavor, the leaders and artists involved, and the symbolism found within the designs.

You may also be interested in:

• Belgian Lace Made in Belgium During the War
• The Story of Ma’s Laces: 1914-1918 – Her response to the trauma of wartime