The damasks in the TextielMuseum’s collection have beautiful representations that are subtly visible in grazing light. Up and until 1900 these premade Damask designs were woven and recreated in the Netherlands, which can often no longer be traced back to a single hand or designer. At the beginning of the 20th-century, damask weaving mills commissioned artists to create artistic designs. From then on we can follow the process from the first sketch to the final fabric.

Today, the TextielMuseum commissions designers to create contemporary damasks collections that are woven in our TextielLab. The creative- and development process is recorded and stored in the museum’s collection, together with the final results. In ‘Damask design’, we open up our archives and show these design- and development processes. A unique story because of the appealing designers, the intriguing history, the artistic and technical innovations and the endless possibilities of the weaving technique.

Efteling is joining forces with the TextielMuseum to develop a limited edition fairytale table linen collection to celebrate their 70th anniversary. The limited-edition table linen collection consisting of a tablecloth, table runner, napkins and tea towels is inspired by the fairytale forest and the damask collection of the TextielMuseum. In ‘Damask design’ you discover how the tablecloths were made by the designers of the Efteling and our experts in the TextielLab of the museum.

Curator Sjouk Hoitsma shows damask from the museum collection to designers Efteling, photo: Tommy de Lange

Under the name by TextielMuseum, we create interior textiles designed by top designers and developed in the TextielLab of the museum. Our collection includes various contemporary damask designs by well-known names such as Scholten & Baijings, Minale Maeda, Peter Struycken and more.