Agnes Geijer
1898–1989.
Textile historian, teacher.
Agnes Geijer was born in October 1898 in an academic home in Uppsala. She later became an art teacher and textile history at the School of Home Economics from 1921 to 1927 and assistant professor at the Swedish National Museum of History and the National Museum. She was also the most leading researcher in Nordic textile history of her time.
She was the leader of Pieta's preservation Department in 1930 – 1949 and head of the Swedish National Heritage Board textile department.
In 1938 Geijer received her doctorate with a dissertation on ancient textiles from the excavations at Björkö (Birka) and made a groundbreaking contribution to textile research. The textiles found at Birka were of different materials and produced differently, sometimes with unknown techniques. Geijer's work with the findings at Birka showed that Viking-age costumes could be reconstructed and that their origin could be determined.
Agnes Geijer published several writings, such as medieval textiles of Swedish manufacturing, textile treasures in Uppsala Cathedral and from the history of textile art that has been translated into English, which has given her international recognition.
To strengthen the Nordic textile research, she set up the foundation Agnes Geijer's Fund for Nordic Textile Research and the foundation has been active since 1988.
Agnes Geijer (to the right). at a preserved Polish banner from the 1600 of the Swedish State Trophy collection. Photo: Statens Trofésamling 1959.
Agnes Geijer (to the right) on Pietas textile preservation. Photo: Svenska Journalen 1942.
Burial site: 0129-2152
Image description: Agnes Geijer, 1968. Photo: Ingrid Bergman. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image
