Rita Bolland, 1919-2006

Margarita (Rita) Adriana Bolland began her career at the Tropenmuseum in 1947. When she retired 37 years later from her position as Curator of Textiles from that same institution (1984), she was highly regarded worldwide for the excellence of her approach to the study of cloth. She is known especially for demonstrating that the way a hand-woven cloth is assembled is as important as the cloth itself and that the best way to study textile techniques is to 'do it yourself.' She delivered her messages passionately in her publications, workshops and lectures, to students. She gave unstintingly of her time and expertise to many art historians, archaeologists and anthropologists, enriching their studies with the unique information embedded in textile techniques and making lasting friendships while doing so. In this volume, Rita Bolland's friends and colleagues celebrate her and her accomplishments, focusing on the uniqueness, scope, and importance of her approach to non-Western textiles.