Needlework Picture

Dateca. 1750

MediumPolychrome silk twist and floss threads on white silk satin ground.

Dimensions20 in x 22 in

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1955-86

DescriptionNeedlework picture. Polychrome silk embroidered house and farm scene on off-white silk satin ground fabric. The clouds and the lower 1/2 of the picture are heavily embroidered in a long satin-like stitch. A 1" wide floral border runs along the bottom edge.Label TextFiber, Fabric, and Fortune:
Large silk pictures featuring silk satin grounds and silk thread embroidery reached the height of popularity from 1800-1830, but examples survive from earlier in the 18th century. This picture, though something of an outlier in terms of composition and style, can be compared to these earlier pieces.ProvenancePrior to 1955, Robert C. Eldred (East Dennis, MA); 1955, purchased by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)