Details

Object type

sampler; band sampler

Place Associated

England (place of manufacture)

Date

circa 1640-1670

Materials

linen, silk, hand-stitched

Dimensions

overall: 946 mm x 177 mm

Description

Sampler or band sampler in linen (28 warp threads per cm; 25 weft threads per cm), selvedge at upper and lower edges, side edges turned under and hem stitched, embroidered with blue, light brown, light green, green and pink silk threads worked in running, double running, chain, Montenegrin, long-armed cross, one-sided Italian cross, four-sided Italian cross, upright cross, detached buttonhole and trellis stitch and needle-weaving with twelve bands of border patterns, including rose quincunx with acorns three arcade twisted, dianthus knot in five arcade with flowers and curls and combatant boxer in stocking paired holding flower and potted spray with banner fall.

The long, narrow shape of this sampler is typical of the 1600s and is called a ‘band sampler’. The linen has been cut horizontally from the end of a long length of material, leaving the selvage visible at both ends. It was then embroidered with rows of floral and geometric border patterns in brightly coloured silk threads. After completing her sampler, a young girl would progress to making small needlework panels, often illustrating biblical or classical scenes.

The 'boxer' pattern derives its name from the boxer-like stance of the figures with legs astride and forearms lifted. This is thought to have originated with from the classical Greek erotes, a pair of lovers, exchanging tokens such as flowers or plants, which has become corrupted over time with the female figure metamorphosing into a shrub or general abstract pattern.

Several of the band patterns are found on other conemporary samplers. The rose quincunx three arcade twisted is also on samplers by Ealse Swinson, 1662, and Jane Young, 1728, in the Goodhart Collection, Montecute House (National Trust NT 597696 and NT 597732) and Elizabeth Hearne, 1700, in the Feller Collection at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. The dianthus knot in five arcade with flowers and curls are also on Swinson's, Ward and Herne's samplers as well as ones by Jean Valley, 1644, Alice Jennings, 1692, and Margaret Jennings, 1695, in the Goodhart Collection (NT 597771, NT 597712 and NT 597713).

Provenance: William Burrell.

Credit Line/Donor

Gifted by Sir William and Lady Burrell to the City of Glasgow, 1944

Collection

Burrell Collection: Needlework Samplers

ID Number

31.7

Location

In storage