Sampler
1791
Medium
Linen, plain weave; embroidered with silk in cross, Rococo, Roumanian, satin, stem, and tent stitches
Dimensions
43.5 × 34.3 cm (17 1/8 × 13 1/2 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
89904
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This skillfully executed sampler belongs to one the most recognizable groups of samplers associated with a specific school, that of Mary Balch. Balch (1762–1831), also known as Polly, began teaching in 1782 to help support her family. During her 45 years of teaching, several distinctive styles of samplers and silk embroideries evolved at her school. The maker of this sampler was possibly Lucy Potter Fuller (1778–1864), the daughter of Joseph Potter (1739–1831) and Abigail Dunwell Potter (1750–18...