Sampler
1763 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The earliest samplers were reference works for embroiderers. They showed 'samples' of patterns and stitches and recorded how to achieve particular effects. In Europe in the 17th century samplers provided instruction and practice for girls learning needlework. In The Netherlands, needleworkers made elaborate darning samplers to show off their darning skills in the later 1700s. These samplers may have been the source for English darning samplers. However the samplers from The Netherlands are more usually signed and dated than the English ones.
Gerarda Gerritsen is known to have lived in Bree in Middelburg, where she died in 1797. She was 13 years old when she made the sampler. The “SS” on the sampler refers to her teacher Sarah Scholtus. There are seven known by the same teacher, one of which in the Collection Centraal Museum, Utrecht, has her name in full.
Gerarda Gerritsen is known to have lived in Bree in Middelburg, where she died in 1797. She was 13 years old when she made the sampler. The “SS” on the sampler refers to her teacher Sarah Scholtus. There are seven known by the same teacher, one of which in the Collection Centraal Museum, Utrecht, has her name in full.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cotton, embroidered with silk in pattern darning and cross stitch, with eyelets |
| Brief description | Cotton darning sampler, embroidered with silk; the Zeeland area of the Netherlands; dated 1763 |
| Physical description | Sampler embroidered in coloured silks mainly in darning stitches. There are fifteen large cross-shaped panels and two small ones filled with diaper patterns (stripes, chequers, lozenges) and floral and fruit sprigs in darning. Towards the bottom is the date 'ANNO 1763' beneath a crown and inscription 'GERARDA GERRITSEN' and 'BY SS'. The colours are blue, light green, yellow, dark brown, pink and red. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'ANNO 1763 / GERADA / GERRITSEN BY SS' (Decoration; bottom half of sampler; embroidering; silk; 1763) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Grove |
| Object history | The initials SS refer to the teacher Sarah Scholtus. Seven samplers are known so far accosiated with her, including this one. |
| Production | Attribution by Rosalie Sloof, researcher, Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, Netherlands in 2002 |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The earliest samplers were reference works for embroiderers. They showed 'samples' of patterns and stitches and recorded how to achieve particular effects. In Europe in the 17th century samplers provided instruction and practice for girls learning needlework. In The Netherlands, needleworkers made elaborate darning samplers to show off their darning skills in the later 1700s. These samplers may have been the source for English darning samplers. However the samplers from The Netherlands are more usually signed and dated than the English ones. Gerarda Gerritsen is known to have lived in Bree in Middelburg, where she died in 1797. She was 13 years old when she made the sampler. The “SS” on the sampler refers to her teacher Sarah Scholtus. There are seven known by the same teacher, one of which in the Collection Centraal Museum, Utrecht, has her name in full. |
| Bibliographic reference | Browne, Clare and Jennifer Wearden, eds. Samplers from the Victoria and Albert Museum. London : V&A Publications, 1999. 144 p., ill. ISBN 1851773096. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.186-1921 |
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| Record created | October 23, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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