Exhibition: Gauze or rose, take stock!
Renowned for its bobbin lace, Belgium tried to compete with Alençon lace in the second half of the 19th century, by manufacturing a needle lace with an extremely light network: the Point de gaze. The motifs of roses are the main theme of the decorations adorning these laces. The creation of petals in relief, putting even more emphasis on the flowers, gives birth to a variant of the Gauze Stitch even more daring: the Rose stitch. The exhibition presents 22 exceptional pieces (ruffles, collars, handkerchiefs, mantilles, etc.) from the museum’s collections, which were made between 1850 and 1900. They bear witness to the technical and aesthetic evolution of Belgian manufacturing production and question the commonalities and differences between the latter and Alençonnaise production.