Merklap van zijde op linnen. c. 1840

This is a silk on linen sampler made by Elizabeth Gorhum. The creation of samplers like this one was a common practice in the education of young girls, particularly in the 17th through 19th centuries. It was a means of learning and demonstrating skills in needlework and literacy. The sampler combines alphabets, numbers, and decorative motifs. The inclusion of religious or moral statements alongside these elements situates the young woman’s personal identity and her moral development. Consider the role of women in this period, where domestic skills were highly valued, and how the sampler provided a space for individual expression within prescribed gender roles. It acted both as a display of skill and a personal, if constrained, statement. What feelings might this have evoked for the young maker? In many ways this sampler is a tangible piece of social history, reflecting the intersection of education, gender, and personal identity in the past.