Leicester’s Mary Linwood was a celebrity artist in the early 1800s but has since been largely forgotten.

She created detailed embroidered versions of famous British paintings using a technique known as needle painting. Linwood was not only a talented artist but also an innovator and entrepreneur. Alongside running a successful school for young ladies in Leicester, she exhibited her embroidered works in touring exhibitions and established the first gallery in London to be run by a woman.

In her lifetime, she was supported by the wealthy and powerful, and was widely respected and well known. Since her death, however, she has been overlooked and undervalued.

This exhibition is the first retrospective of Mary Linwood’s work since 1945, featuring 14 embroidered works from the Leicester Museums collections. Alongside these historic pieces are new textile artworks by Ruth Singer, reflecting on Linwood’s life and legacy.

This exhibition will fascinate textile enthusiasts and anyone interested in Leicester’s rich but often forgotten histories.