Sampler
Unknown
made
16th century
Linen, embroidered with silk in back and long-armed cross stitch
Height 80 cm
Width 47 cm
Italy
Museum no. T.14-1931

In their earliest form, samplers were put together as personal reference works for embroiderers. They were trials of patterns and stitches that had been copied from others, and records of particular effects achieved that could be recreated again. They would have been the work, not of children, but of more experienced embroiderers, and, to judge from the quality of samplers like this one, of professionals too.