Join us for a museum talk with Laura Baxter and Hannah Marples to discover the hidden meanings of flowers in historic costume and contemporary jewellery.
Starting in our museum, historic costumier and Museum Coordinator Hannah Marples will introduce the symbolism of floral motifs in historic embroidery, focusing on our portrait of an unknown woman by George Geldorp. Hannah will decode the detailed embroidery in this portrait, revealing details about this unknown sitter.
Contemporary jeweller Laura Baxter is fascinated by the language of flowers. She will continue the talk in the Harley Gallery, where her floriography brooches are currently on display. These brooches celebrate the many facets of Laura’s working life as a jeweller, and each one contains a hidden meaning. Laura will reveal the secret message in each brooch, offering a contemporary view of floriography as self-expression.
Hannah Marples
Hannah’s passions lie within historical costume, embroideries, and tech. She has made historical costumes for film, TV and museums which include The National Civil War Museum and Leeds Royal Armouries. She has appeared in the BBC4 television series A Stitch in Time.
She is a Museum Coordinator at the Harley Foundation and has been a tour guide on the Welbeck Abbey State Room Tours.
Laura Baxter
Laura Baxter is an established metalsmith and jeweller. She hand-makes contemporary silver and gold precious jewellery, silverware, wall pieces and large public artworks inspired by bird life and botanical forms.
Laura works from her Harley Foundation Studio on the Welbeck Estate.
