Edo Needlework Models from Japan

These models of craftmakers from Japan produced in Nagasaki in the Edo period are a precious insight into age old traditions. Although it would be wrong to extrapolate from one culture to another, again it is interesting to note once more the side-ways approach to working on a long cloth stretched on an embroidery frame. This is how I believe long samplers from the 17th century were worked - not from top to bottom or from bottom to top, but from long-edge to long-edge. And it is a man working the embroidery.

While here is a woman making cords.

And here we can see a needle-maker and apprentice at their craft. These models are in the Leiden Museum.