IN WHAT appears, at first glance, to be a traditional needlework sampler, artist Caren Garfen reflects on the life of a 16th century woman suffering from ‘hysteria’.

“I use textiles to create pieces relating to women's issues, painstakingly hand stitching to convey messages on gender politics,” said Caren.

“Recently I have become particularly interested in social history and the comparison between the lives of women in past centuries and how we live now.”

Caren’s sampler is showing as part of the Stroud International Textiles (SIT) exhibition, Selected, which opens today (Wednesday) at Newark Park, near Wotton under Edge. Selected features the work of 30 artists, displayed throughout the house and grounds of this former Tudor hunting lodge, side by side with the dwelling’s own impressive collection of artefacts and antiques.

Following an invitation from SIT to create a piece of work inspired by the history of the lodge, Caren set about researching its past residents. She became interested in Joan Dyer, who inherited the house from her first husband in 1556. Joan then married Sir Thomas Dyer, who was later described by her eldest son as ‘a monster’. Joan suffered from what was understood at the time as hysteria, and became so ill that she almost lost her hearing, sight and speech. Her husband did not provide care and medicine for her.

In the sampler, Joan can be seen in the lower right window of the house, trapped inside. References to her illness are made in the sampler’s decorative border.

“It looks innocent enough,” said Caren, “but is actually multiples of the uterus, as right up to the late 1900s hysteria referred to a medical condition thought to be particular to women and caused by disturbances of the uterus.”

Entitled There Are No Words To Embroider That Single Desolating Fact, the embroidery features a verse written by Caren, which relates to Joan's distress:

I who will slip from this earthly place, Have been struck down by a cruel embrace, I cannot speak, hear nor see, And rue the day I married thee.

SIT Select is at Newark Park, Ozleworth, near Wotton-under-Edge until June 8. It will be open from Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm.