‘A brilliant achievement’
SCOTSMAN
‘A charmed feat of imagination and learning’
HILARY MANTEL
In sixteenth-century Europe women’s voices were suppressed and silenced., and despite her royal position Mary, Queen of Scots was no exception. But, in an age when textiles expressed power, Mary exploited them to emphasise her female agency. From her lavishly embroidered gowns as the prospective wife of the French Dauphin to the fashion dolls she used to encourage a Marian style at the Scottish court and the subversive messages she embroidered in captivity for her supporters, Mary used textiles to advance her political agenda, affirm her royal lineage and tell her own story.
In this eloquent cultural biography, Clare Hunter exquisitely blends history, politics and memoir to tell the story of a queen in her own voice.
SCOTSMAN
‘A charmed feat of imagination and learning’
HILARY MANTEL
In sixteenth-century Europe women’s voices were suppressed and silenced., and despite her royal position Mary, Queen of Scots was no exception. But, in an age when textiles expressed power, Mary exploited them to emphasise her female agency. From her lavishly embroidered gowns as the prospective wife of the French Dauphin to the fashion dolls she used to encourage a Marian style at the Scottish court and the subversive messages she embroidered in captivity for her supporters, Mary used textiles to advance her political agenda, affirm her royal lineage and tell her own story.
In this eloquent cultural biography, Clare Hunter exquisitely blends history, politics and memoir to tell the story of a queen in her own voice.
Reviews
A quirky but absolutely fascinating read
An intimate portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots
With her engaging style, [Hunter] offers a tantalising glimpse into Mary's world through the prism of the textiles that surrounded her . . . Throughout the book, Hunter's passion, knowledge and experience of working with textiles shine through . . . Hunter's approach of memoir blended with history and material culture captivates the reader from the first page and enthrals to the last