Description
ANN WHITTAKER created an almost comically theatrical sampler depicting Adam and Eve, angels, pious verses, and elaborate meandering vines beneath dramatic multi-colored draperies and tassels. Hovering over the verse which is framed by large columns, are two angels with speech bubbles coming from their mouths saying “Strive to excel” and “Behold the reward.” Adam and Eve, grinning widely, display hair that looks as if it has been lit up by static electricity.
The verses are:
And God made man after his Own image, male and Female, And Blessed them, and said be Fruitful And multiply and replenish the Earth. And he placed them in the garden of Eden to Dress and to keep it, and gave them a Commandment saying, of every tree in the garden you may Freely eat except the tree of knowledge of good And evil the day you eat thereof, you shall Surely Die, now the serpent was more subtil Than any Beast of the field, and he said unto the Woman, yea, hath God said ye shallnot eat of every tree of the garden And the Woman said We may eat of fruit of the tree. But of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, we must not eat nor tuch it lest we Die, the serpent said unto the woman ye shall Not surely die, for in the day you eat there of ye shall be as gods knowing good from evil, so the woman took of the fruit of the tree of which the lord had said ye shall not eate and gave to her Husband and thay did eat and the eyes of Them both was opened and they knew that they Were naked Thus from the top of earthly Bliss Rebellious man was hurl’d But Jesus died on the Cross to save A sinking world Ann Whittaker has picked out the date that she finished the sampler.
Stitches used in creating the sampler are cross, petit point (cross over one) and backstitch. It is recommended for an intermediate level of skill. On 40-count linen, the reproduction will measure approximately 14-1/2″ x 19″, very close to the size of the original antique sampler (15″x 20″).
Origin and date: 1790
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 40 count, 14-1/2″ x 19″
Stitches: cross, petit point (cross over one) and backstitch
Reproduced by the Scarlet Letter.
