Object number1960.9.110

Band Sampler

Date1887

Artist Emilia Mendes (Mexican)

CultureMexican

MediumSilk embroidery on linen

DimensionsComposition: 13 1/2 x 24 in. (34.3 x 61 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mrs. James W. Packard (Elizabeth Gillmer, class of 1894)

On View

Not on view

Period19th c

Classification(s)

SignedStitched signature upper left: Emilia Mendes

InscribedStitched upper right: el ano de 1887 [in the year]; upper center: [stitched crown atop]KXR RT JSE

Vassar Exhibitions

Between The Lines: Innovation and Expression in Women's Sewing Samplers

Label TextMuch like their counterparts in Europe and the United States, Mexican and Central American needleworkers completed samplers under the instruction of a teacher, usually in convents or schools run by Catholic nuns called escuelas de amiga. This example from Mexico is called a "band sampler," named for the horizontal bands of graphic designs it displays. It notably combines traditional colors and motifs still prevalent in Mexico with symbols from Catholic Spain and Germany. In this way, it reveals the impact of Spanish colonization on indigenous artistic traditions.

DescriptionTop third of the composition includes various stand alone imagery including various birds, including a rooster; flowers, including some in baskets, cornucopias, and a wreath; a church and another building, a male figure, a possible puppet tied to a ballon; and various other animals including a monkey and a dog. The lower two-thirds of the work is composed of various horizontal bands of geometric patterns in various colors including reds, yellows, purples, blues, and greens. Some patterns contain birds and flowers.

Terms

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email loebcollections@vassar.edu