Embroidered sampler 1807

Curator: This embroidered sampler by Julia Ann Fitch, created in 1807, strikes me as an incredible material record of early 19th-century life and artistic production. Editor: It's currently exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am struck by the variety of textile techniques and the charming domestic scene at the center of the piece. What stands out to you most? Curator: Definitely the labor embedded in its creation. Consider the sourcing and processing of the fibers, the dyeing, the intricate stitching, and the sheer amount of time involved. Each element speaks to the material conditions and skills of the maker. Was Julia a member of a family participating in chattel slavery? That’s a really important contextual detail, if true. And the sampler is clearly not just decorative – the recording of family birthdates also functions as a means of knowledge preservation within that domestic context. It’s not just art, it’s history woven into fabric. Editor: So, by looking at the materials and how they were used, you're connecting the piece to the economic and social context of the time? It challenges our definition of art because it blends the domestic, the artistic, and historical record-keeping. Curator: Precisely! The piece also incorporates printed material: The Declaration of Independence – something that could be considered very subversive at the time depending on who had access to such documents, or what their place was within society. This textile invites us to rethink what "art" constitutes, prompting consideration of materiality, class, labor, and how the consumption of historical texts or materials intersected with textile practices during that time period. Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective. Thanks so much! Curator: Likewise; it’s really fascinating to explore art through the lens of production and its cultural implications.