Sampler
Unknown Artist
1853
Medium
Silk on hemp canvas
Dimensions
H. 17 3/4 x W. 15 3/8 inches (45.1 x 39.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
possibly 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
57.122.516
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 1853 sampler, crafted by an unknown artist possibly from Germany, exemplifies the educational embroidery tradition popular in 19th-century Europe. 17¾ x 15⅜ inches, it features silk threads meticulously stitched onto a sturdy hemp canvas—a common medium that allowed young girls to practice and showcase their needlework skills. Samplers like this served dual purposes: as practical lessons in sewing alphabets, numbers, and, and as personal records of accomplishment, often displayed in homes. The design likely centers on houses, a recurring tag in its description, symbolizing dome...