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Sampler: T.126-1938

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Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Unidentified

Entities

Categories

Description

Sampler worked in polychrome silks containing a wide range of patterns including figures, an alphabet, geometric bands, a wreath and a pierced heart.

Linen sampler embroidered with polychrome silks in double running, cross, long-armed cross, stem, and satin stitch. All the edges of the sampler are hemmed. This almost square sampler is covered in a wide range of patterns, figurative, geometric, and floral, loosely arranged around a central motif of a pierced heart within a wreath. The fourth corner has only small 'spot' motifs. Repeat pattern bands of various scales dominate two sides with 'spot' motifs on a third. The fourth side carries an alphabet, the initials 'EH' and the date '1675' above which is a row of sprigs and vases of flowers, a horse, lion, deer and bird, and one male and one female figure. The central wreath is surrounded by spot motifs, linear in character, mainly worked in double running stitch.

Legal notes

Bequeathed by Mrs H.A. Longman

Measurements and weight

Length: 43.75 cm
Length: 17.1/2 in
Width: 42.5 cm
Width: 17.1/8 in

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1938) by Longman, H. A., Mrs

Dating

17th Century
Production date: AD 1675

Note

The use of a single line of stitching for the spot motifs is a style usually associated with work from German-speaking Europe, whilst the use of the pierced heart symbolising the Christian Sacred Heart usually denotes a Catholic background.

Materials used in production

pink, blue, yellow, green, brown, red Silk
Linen

Techniques used in production

Weaving : Linen sampler embroidered with polychrome silks in double running, cross, long-armed cross, stem, and satin stitch. All the edges of the sampler are hemmed.
Embroidering

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: embroidered in polychrome silk thread

  • Text: EH 1675
  • Location: Bottom band of the sampler
  • Method of creation: Embroidery
  • Type: Initials and date

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: T.126-1938
Primary reference Number: 110857

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 26 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Sampler" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/110857 Accessed: 2025-12-05 11:25:03

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/110857 |title=Sampler |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 11:25:03|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-110857

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<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa19/T_126_1938.jpg"
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        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Sampler</figcaption>
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