Marie Gudme Leth - A pioneer in Danish fabric printing

In this monograph, Kirsten Toftegaard tells the whole story of one of the most important figures in Danish handicrafts. Marie Gudme Leth (1895-1997) was among the pioneers who, in the late 1920s, reintroduced fabric printing as a handicraft in Denmark. She created a number of classic fabric printing patterns that were extremely popular at the time, and are rediscovered, charm and fascinate today.

The patterned fabrics were presented at the many handicraft exhibitions held throughout the country. She also participated in the wave of exhibitions abroad that presented Danish handicrafts with great success. Wherever she exhibited, her printed fabrics were received with great enthusiasm. She received a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937 and at the Triennale in Milan in 1951. Her work is a role model for many, not only because of the charming textile patterns, but also because she helped to form the foundation on which textile art still rests.

Kirsten Toftegaard has a Master's degree in history. She heads the fashion and textile collection at Designmuseum Danmark, where she has curated the exhibitions ' Textile functionalism – the weaver Hanne Vedel ', ' Marimekko – the story of a Nordic brand' and ' Rococo mania'.

See more from Gudme Leth here .