"Embroidery from Opus Anglicanum to the 18th Century Gentleman's Suit" Arts Society lecture by Dr Susan Kay Williams

Tuesday 20th October, 2pm

By the 18th century dyers had learned how to make a much greater range of colours and we see the growth of two particular activities - embroidered clothes and embroidered art.

In particular this period saw the birth of the gentleman’s three-piece suit comprising waistcoat, jacket and breeches all adorned with matching embroidery.

It was also the period of botanic art, based on the finds of the plant hunters, but as Mrs Delany showed flowers could be depicted in paint or in thread.

Through silk shading the concept of painting with a needle was born and this lecture will show some of these amazing pieces where the observer believes they could actually pluck or even smell the flowers, so lifelike do they look.

About your speaker 

Dr Susan Kay-Williams is an Arts Society accredited lecturer, author and leading authority on embroidery and textile history. From 2007 to 2024 she was Chief Executive of the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, where she also worked closely with its collections and archives. Her specialist interests include embroidery, colour and the history of dyes. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has lectured widely in the UK and internationally, including for the Victoria and Albert Museum. Her books include The Story of Colour in Textiles and An Unbroken Thread, a history of the Royal School of Needlework.