Embroidering Her Truth
This really was a pleasant surprise. In an age when textiles expressed power, Mary, Queen of Scots exploited their symbolism artfully. The most famous example was wearing red – the martyr’s colour – at her execution, but Hunter outlines the many subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which Mary used fabrics to her advantage. In an age when women’s voices were suppressed and silenced, Mary used textiles to challenge and subvert opponents, and to advance her own political agenda. A quirky but absolutely fascinating read.