Sampler
1765/66
Medium
Linen, plain weave; embroidered with silk in cross, herringbone, stem, satin, and chain stitches; edged with cotton, plain weave
Dimensions
55.3 × 53.1 cm (21 3/4 × 20 7/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
215917
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The education of girls and young women in the 18th and 19th centuries in North America focused on preparation for marriage, motherhood, and domestic life. Needlework and sampler making were taught both for practicing stitches but also as a means of learning the alphabet. Samplers were seen as the embroidment of femininity. In this early example, the main field contains two tablets with the Ten Commandments. Beneath this can be found the maker's name, Charlotte Guerin, aged 10 years, and the date...