Embroidered sampler
1768
Medium
Embroidered silk on linen
Dimensions
12 x 16 in. (30.5 x 40.6 cm)
Classification
Sampler
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1999
Accession Number
1999.271
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sarah Lawrence's *Embroidered Sampler* (1768) captivates with its delicate silk threads worked onto a linen ground, measuring a modest 12 x 16 inches. This charming piece depicts the biblical Garden of Eden scene featuring Adam and Eve amid trees, serpents, birds, men, and women—evoking the timeless story of temptation and the Fall from grace. Created during the colonial era, it exemplifies the intricate needlework practiced by young American women, blending artistry with moral instruction. Samplers like this one were essential education...