Friesian Sampler initialed T.E.,
Netherlands,
1791

Sampler size:
18" x 16"

Price: $2200

Enlarged and Printer Version

The province of Friesland is in the north part of the Netherlands and the origin of many excellent 18th century Dutch sampler that share strong regional characteristics. They tend to feature highly ornamented letters, both alphabets and initials, and almost all of the makers included large numbers of depictions of everyday objects or people engaged in day-to-day activities. The needlework is tight and fine, as it is clear that the teachers in Friesland held their pupils to a high standard.

A book, written primarily in Dutch, entitled Letter voor Letter, by Gieneke Arnolli and Rosalie Sloof, documents these Friesian "letterdoekens" (letter cloths) and provides wonderful illustrations of many samplers and print sources. Some of the information in this book provides further clues as the identification of this sampler – for example the alphabets on the early samplers lack the letters J,Q,U,X,Y,Z and the H is distinctive for its cross bar which forms a small V.

We very rarely find the name of the maker on a Friesian sampler. We do, however, find initials often, which may be assumed to be those of the maker. Common, too, is the lower border of the sampler with a small procession of motifs. The maker of this excellent sampler devoted much time and attention to her alphabets and rendered them in the traditional Friesian manner – surrounded by curlicues and circular designs.

A large windmill sits at the center of the composition, flanked by the equally large initials. The windmill is a common and important element of the Dutch culture, including needlework, and symbolizes energy, life and work. Other smaller motifs such as birds, stylized potted plants and geometric emblems intermingle with the repeated initials T.E. and the dated 1791.

Worked in silk on linen, this sampler remains in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a molded and painted frame.

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