Embroidered Sampler 1739

Curator: Here we have an Embroidered Sampler, dated 1739. It’s currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s fascinating, truly a window into the textile arts and practices of the period. Editor: Oh, it has a tender melancholy about it. I love that naive rendering of Adam and Eve. It’s quite beautiful, even though it looks incredibly challenging to have created. All that fine, tiny work! Curator: Absolutely. These samplers were often produced by young girls as a demonstration of their skill in needlework and a means of preserving stitch patterns. It was functional, serving as a record. The materials tell a story of labor and domestic life. We see linen used for the ground, various dyed silk threads, and the frame, likely made by a local carpenter. Editor: You’re right. Thinking about it, that linen wasn't grown overnight! The piece is really about patience, tradition, skill… I imagine a young girl bent over this for months. I'm sort of transported, and feel as if I'm holding her dreams and diligent labor in my very gaze. Curator: Precisely. The techniques – cross-stitch, satin stitch, maybe even some drawn thread work. It would've served a dual purpose – educational and decorative. They showcased their burgeoning skill set in preparation for future roles in maintaining households, with the capability to adorn homes with more decorative artworks later in life. Editor: The serpent! And the stiff, almost stylized rendering of flora and fauna! They are very evocative. Makes me ponder, who taught the stitches to her? What was her life? Curator: A good question. Through careful examination, and comparison of styles with other similar examples, we can infer how she and the piece fit into a social and cultural narrative. And what can we say, from a compositional aspect, to its narrative art, miniaturism, medieval or even Renaissance stylings? Editor: It really strikes that chord with our collective sense of beginnings, from original sin right to personal initiation into craft itself. Curator: I’m glad you touched on that! Thank you! It allows us all to consider the skill, artistry and personal devotion of early female artists! Editor: Thank YOU. These old things certainly are brimming over with heart!