With the work of her hands is nominated for the Icelandic Museum Award 2024

The exhibition With the works of the hands: Icelandic refilstitch of the past centuries was set up on the occasion of the publication of the book of the same name by Elsa E. Guðjónsson, former Department Director of the Department of Textiles and Costumes at the National Museum of Iceland, was also the main event of the museum's anniversary program on its 160th anniversary in 2023.

The exhibition Through the Works of Hands: Icelandic Refilstitch of the Past Ages brings together a complete collection of Icelandic refilseamen, with a total of fifteen pieces, the ornamental tents, preserved and considered among the most impressive works of art in the nation. All the pieces are church vestments and contain refilsaum, an Anglo-Nordic embroidery type preserved in Iceland. There are ten illustrated altar cloths, a single altar wing with a refile-embroidered ribbon, a chalice with a reed-embossed cross, a portrait of Thorlák Skúlasyni bishop, an altar edge with a reffled inscription and an illustrated refil or wall covering. Twelve of the garments date from the late Middle Ages and the oldest from the late 14th century. The three younger ones date from the seventeenth century and are believed to be the youngest from 1677. It is also believed that most of the medieval works were sewn at the two nunneries at Kirkjubæ and Reynisstaður or at the two episcopal cathedrals, and it is likely that many hands came to make each garment, but all the works bear witness to the magnificent artistic craftsmanship of women in the Middle Ages.

The exhibition is based on nine works owned by the National Museum of Iceland, six of which are owned by three foreign museums: the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Dana National Museum and the Rijksmuseum Twenthe in the Netherlands. Most of the works have previously been loaned to the National Museum's exhibitions, but this is the first time they have been received and seen simultaneously at the museum. This is considered a major event and the National Museum of Iceland has complied with the strict requirements of the owners regarding the prevention, environment and conditions of the exhibition, which is elegantly designed.

A detailed program of events was compiled in connection with the exhibition that have been extremely well attended and attracted the deserved attention of the public. Two seminars with eight speakers have been held, as well as a number of expert guides, lunch lectures with individual expert lectures, children's guides and craft workshops. In addition, a special educational program was drawn up, aimed at students at the middle level of primary school, covering medieval crafts with a focus on visual and literary arts.

The exhibition Through the Works of Hands: The Icelandic Refilstitch of the Past Ages follows the publication of a book of the same name based on the results of decades of research by Elsa E. Gudjónsson, who died in 2010. Elsa's research is unique in its series and is characterized by the care and precision of technique and process, together with the historical and artistic context of each garment. This is a magnificent work completed by Lilja Árnadóttir, Elsa's former colleague and stage director at the National Museum of Iceland, and produced and edited together with Merði Árnasyn. The book was awarded the Fjörulaunin 2024 in the category of scholarly literature, a nomination for the Icelandic Literature Prize 2023 and a nomination for the Recognition of Economics 2024.

With the works of hands: Icelandic refilsaurus of the past ages — exhibition, programme and publication — is a unique event in Icelandic museum work.

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