Embroidered Sampler 1795

This Embroidered Sampler was made in 1795 by Elizabeth Easton. The sampler's structure reveals a grid-like organization with the alphabet, numerals, and pastoral scenes stacked in neat rows, each delineated by subtle shifts in the embroidery's texture and color. The muted palette—dominated by earthy browns, creams, and faded greens—speaks to the materials available and the passage of time, yet it also creates a harmonious visual field. Easton’s composition balances the geometric precision of the alphabetic and numerical exercises with the more organic forms of floral borders and figural representations. The work destabilizes the conventional hierarchy between the textual and the visual, inviting a semiotic reading where letters become design elements and images carry narrative weight. The combination of text, image, and pattern reflects a broader cultural discourse around education, domesticity, and the moral instruction of young women.