Sampler
1713
Medium
Linen, plain weave; with twenty nine squares filled with different needlework patterns in a variety of stitches
Dimensions
37.3 × 39.4 cm (14 5/8 × 15 1/2 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
35582
Art Historical Context
Created in 1713 by Margreta Bem this exquisite *Sampler* is a testament to the artistry and skill of early 18th-centurywork. Measuring 37.3 × 39.4 cm, it a plain-weave linen ground adorned with twenty-nine distinct squares, each filled with unique patterns executed in a variety of stitches.oused in the Textiles Department of the Art Institute of Chicago, piece exemplifies the sampler tradition, where young women practiced and displayed their embroidery techniques. Samplers like this one held profound cultural and educational significance, serving as personal "textbooks" for girls learning dom...