Sampler made at the Westtown Quaker School

1801

Not on view

This sampler is one of two (see 2005.19) made by Sarah Thomas (1786-1826) in the Museum’s collection. Sarah completed both during the time she attended the Westtown Quaker Boarding School in Chester County Pennsylvania from December 1800 to December 1801. Both samplers are accomplished examples of a distinctive type of embroidery made only at Quaker schools. The Quaker emphasis on simple, yet careful and precise sewing, enabled students from such schools to become some of the best needleworkers in the nineteenth century who often went on to teach embroidery to other young women. The samplers by Sarah Thomas are related to another Westtown sampler in the Museum’s collection, 2005.463.2 made by Rebecca March in 1802.
This sampler includes floral spot motifs and the initials of her classmates at Westtown. It is the type of work that Sarah would have completed after mastering a more basic sampler (see 2005.19) but before moving on to even more demanding embroidery projects.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Sampler made at the Westtown Quaker School
Maker: Sarah Thomas (1786–1826)
Date: 1801
Geography: Made in Chester, Westtown, Pennsylvania
Culture: American
Medium: Embroidered silk on linen
Dimensions: 14 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. (37.5 x 31.8 cm)
Credit Line: Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Martucci and Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Schaffner Gifts, and Gift of George Coe Graves, by exchange, 2005
Object Number: 2005.20
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

By Sarah Thomas

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Sampler made at the Westtown Quaker School, Sarah Thomas American, Silk on linen, American — Sampler made at the Westtown Quaker School
Sarah Thomas
1801

Sampler made at the Westtown Quaker School, Rebecca Marsh American, Silk embroidery on linen, American — Sampler made at the Westtown Quaker School
Rebecca Marsh
1802

Sampler, Julia Ann Fitch American, Silk embroidery on linen, American — Sampler
Julia Ann Fitch
1807

Angenett Jackson American, Silk embroidery on linen — Angenett Jackson
1838

Sampler, Lydia Pearson American, Silk embroidery on linen, American — Sampler
Lydia Pearson
1802

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.