Carpet, floral design

DateProbably late 18th century

MediumWool embroidery, linen canvas

Dimensions6'9" X 4'

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1958-393

DescriptionFloral design carpet. English wool embroidery on handwoven linen canvas. Worked in cross stitch with about 36 cross stitches per square inch. Colors: Ground: field-brown, border-brown; Pattern: pink, rose, red, yellow-green, olive-green, yellow, gold, blue and blue green. The overall floral pattern of the field shows irises, carnations, roses, tulips, etc., with lnaceolated and serrated leaves. the border has a central red entwined alternately with leaf and ribbon, terminating at each corner in a double leaf motif.

Construction History
Late 18th century: Initial construction
1962: Repaired, reinforced, cleaned & lined by Karekin Beshir Ltd. (New York, NY)Label TextStylized floral designs within a central panel are typical of 18th-century English needlework rugs. These embroidered carpets often intertwine a diverse array of blossoms, as demonstrated in this example. Needlework rugs of English origin appear to have been primarly hand-stitched upon linen canvas by individuals (usually women). Notably, embroidered rugs of American origin are fare rarer to find today than English types, which scholars have struggled to understand.Inscription(s)None foundMark(s)None foundProvenancePrior to 1958, S.W. Wolsey (London, U.K.); 1958-present, purchased by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)