Embroidered Sampler 1735

This 18th-century sampler, a traditional form of needlework, was created by Mary Pearce in 1735. It features an alphabet, numbers, and a personalized inscription: “MARY PEARCE IS MY NAME AND WITH MY NEEDLE I WROUGHT THE SAME THIS WAS WROUGHT THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1735 IN THE 12 YEAR OF MY AGE." The sampler also includes stylized trees and birds, a common motif in 18th-century American samplers, which often served as a testament to the maker's skill and a record of their life. The piece, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into the daily life and artistic practices of young women during the colonial period.