Mary Holtarbom circa 1798

Description

This sampler was made in Philadelphia, and was originally stitched on a loosely and unevenly woven homespun linen ground with a remarkably bright palette of colored silks, the brilliant color still visible on the back of the piece, where ultraviolet light had not faded them. Exhibiting a bold, simple, and symmetrical design, the sampler is punctuated by two large horizontal floral bands. Stitches used in its execution are cross, sawtooth satin, and eyelet. The finished size, worked on 30 count linen, will be approximately 17-3/4″x13-3/4″