Sampler
Unknown Artist
1807
Medium
Silk on wool canvas
Dimensions
H. 6 3/8 x W. 10 5/8 inches (16.2 x 27 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
German
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
From the Collection of Mrs. Lathrop Colgate Harper, Bequest of Mabel Herbert Harper, 1957
Accession Number
57.122.487
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate 1807 German sampler, embroidered in silk threads on a wool, measures just 6 3/8 by 10 5/8 inches, making it a charming pocket-sized treasure from the early 19th century Adorned with motifs of birds, palaces, and trees, it the meticulous needlework skills typical of such textiles. The vibrant silk stitches against the sturdy wool ground allowed for intricate details, highlighting the embroiderer's precision in rendering nature and architecture—perhaps evoking idyllic landscapes or aspirational grandeur. Samplers like this were essential educational tools for young girls in German...