Sampler
EmbroidererEmbroidered by
Clarissa Cornelia Loomis
(American, 1819 - 1855)
TeacherPossibly taught by
Polly Kingsley
(American)
Date1828
MediumEmbroidery; silk thread on a plain-woven, undyed linen ground
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width of ground): 16 1/8 x 17 1/4in. (41 x 43.8cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1986.13.1
DescriptionSampler worked in terra-cotta, blue-green, dark brown, medium brown, medium blue, light blue, and black silk threads on a plain-woven linen ground in cross stitch and other stitches. The sampler is squarish, oriented horizontally. It is laid out with seven rows of four alphabets and the numbers 1 through 15, over two inscriptions, over a horizontal band of pictorial motifs, over an inscription. The first inscription is "Hail heirs of endless peace ordained to rove/ Round the [illegible] love/ For you the sun first [illegible] the lucid morn/ [illegible] born". The second inscription is "Polly Kingsley"; this may be a teacher's name. The third inscription is "Clarissa C Loomis Aged 9 years Lebanon/ Sept 24 1828". The horizontal band of pictorial motifs includes, from left to right, a woman wearing a dress and holding a parasol, a large tree, three small trees, a large tree, and a three-dimensional two-story house with center door. A fence extends horizontally across the scene. Certain lines of alphabets, numbers, and text are separated by various narrow borders, including straight and meandering lines. There is a narrow four-sided border.
The sampler has a 3/16-inch double-turned hem on the top and bottom edges, and selvedges on both side edges. The sampler is not framed.
Letters and Numbers: There are four alphabets and the numbers 1-15. The letters are uppercase block in alphabets 1 and 2, uppercase script in alphabet 3, and lowercase block in alphabet 4. The letter J is present in the first and fourth alphabets; the letter U is present in all alphabets. The second alphabet ends at X; there is what appears to be an unusual styled N at the end of the second alphabet.
Stitches: The principal stitch on the sampler is cross stitch over two threads; it is also worked in rice, outline, queen, half-cross and long-armed cross stitches.
Condition: The sampler has significant stitch loss in the first inscription. The sampler has light fading. It is not framed.
The sampler has a 3/16-inch double-turned hem on the top and bottom edges, and selvedges on both side edges. The sampler is not framed.
Letters and Numbers: There are four alphabets and the numbers 1-15. The letters are uppercase block in alphabets 1 and 2, uppercase script in alphabet 3, and lowercase block in alphabet 4. The letter J is present in the first and fourth alphabets; the letter U is present in all alphabets. The second alphabet ends at X; there is what appears to be an unusual styled N at the end of the second alphabet.
Stitches: The principal stitch on the sampler is cross stitch over two threads; it is also worked in rice, outline, queen, half-cross and long-armed cross stitches.
Condition: The sampler has significant stitch loss in the first inscription. The sampler has light fading. It is not framed.
Label TextClarissa’s sampler is part of a small distinctive group made in Lebanon
between 1828 and 1835. These share a nearly square shape, similar
lettering, and a landscape panel with a substantial dwelling and a single
woman in a vertically striped dress, holding a parasol. Surprisingly, the
similar samplers were made under different teachers, suggesting they drew
upon a local design tradition.
The brown silks of the verse have almost disintegrated. Enough remains
to identify lines from Timothy Dwight’s The Conquest of Canaan (1785),
a poetic retelling of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt, and an allegory for
American independence: “Hail heirs of endless peace ordained to rove /
Round the [pure climes of everlasting] love / For you the sun first [led the
lucid] moon / [The world was fashion’d and Messiah born].”
NotesObject Note: It is possible that maker's verse read at one time: "Hail hairs of endless peace ordained to rove/ Round the pure climes of everlasting love/ For you the sun first led the lucid morn/ The world was fashioned and Messiah born". (Wittman 9/8/2007)between 1828 and 1835. These share a nearly square shape, similar
lettering, and a landscape panel with a substantial dwelling and a single
woman in a vertically striped dress, holding a parasol. Surprisingly, the
similar samplers were made under different teachers, suggesting they drew
upon a local design tradition.
The brown silks of the verse have almost disintegrated. Enough remains
to identify lines from Timothy Dwight’s The Conquest of Canaan (1785),
a poetic retelling of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt, and an allegory for
American independence: “Hail heirs of endless peace ordained to rove /
Round the [pure climes of everlasting] love / For you the sun first [led the
lucid] moon / [The world was fashion’d and Messiah born].”
Status
Not on view
