17C Women Making Lace

Job Adriaensz Berckheyde (Dutch artist, 1630-1693) Lace Maker 1666-75

William Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night c 1601-02, and its 1st recorded performance was in 1602. Duke Orsino says:

O, fellow, come, the song we had last night. Mark it, Cesario, it is old and plain; The spinsters and the knitters in the sun And the free maids that weave their thread with bones Do use to chant it: it is silly sooth, And dallies with the innocence of love, Like the old age.

This refers to bobbin lace: weave their thread with bones. Small bones used to be used as bobbins, to wind the thread round. Bobbin lace is essentially weaving, with the pins creating gaps to form the patterns.

Caspar Netscher (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, c 1635-1684) The Lacemaker 1662

Bernhard Keil (Danish Baroque Era Painter, 1624-1687) The Lacemaker

Bernhard Keil (Danish Baroque Era Painter, 1624-1687) The Lacemaker

Frans van Mieris the Elder (Dutch painter, 1635-1681) The Lacemaker

Gabriel Metsu (Dutch painter, 1629-1667) The Lacemaker

Gerrit Dou (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1613-1675) Lacemaker 1667

Jan Miense Molenaer (Dutch artist. 1610-1669) Lacemaker

Johannes Vermeer (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1632-1675) The-Lacemaker-1669-70

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Lacemaker 1655

Pieter Cornelisz. van Slingelandt (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1640-1691) Lacemaker 1672-3.

 Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Lacemaker 1655

Pieter Jacobsz. Codde (Dutch artist,1599-1678) Lacemaker

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Lacemaker

Pieter Cornelisz. van Slingelandt (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1640-1691) Lacemaker 1670

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) The Lacemaker

Pieter Jacobsz. Codde (Dutch artist,  1599-1678) Lacemaker

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Old Woman Dozing (Lacemaker) 1656

Gabriel Metsu (Dutch painter, 1629-1667)  Lacemaker