Embroidered sampler
Mary Pearce
1735
Medium
Embroidered silk on linen
Dimensions
18 1/4 x 15 in. (46.4 x 38.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Barbara Schiff Sinauer, 1984
Accession Number
1984.331.23
Tags
Plants
About the Artist
Mary Pearce · 1722–1822
Mary Pearce (c. 1722–1822) was a British needlewoman whose sole surviving work, an embroidered sampler dated 1735, exemplifies the educational needlework practiced by young girls in 18th-century England. Born around 1722, Pearce created this piece at approximately age 13, a common age for such projects that served as both skill demonstrations and markers of accomplishment. Measuring 18¼ x 15 inche...