Family Record Sampler
1827
Medium
Embroidered silk on linen
Dimensions
16 1/4 x 17 in. (41.3 x 43.2 cm)
Classification
Sampler
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Virginia F. Thors, 2005
Accession Number
2005.463.1
Art Historical Context
In the heart of early 19th-century America young girls like Emma H. crafted family record samplers as both educational exercises and cherished keepsakes. Completed in 1827, this embroidered silk on linen piece, measuring 16 1/4 x 17 inches, meticulously documents vital family events—births, marriages and deaths—in delicate stitching. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it exemplifies the domestic arts that taught girls needlework skills while preserving lineage for future generations. The medium of silk threads on a linen ground allowed for vibrant colors and fine detail...