Sampler

Date1819

Artist Louis Byett (British)

CultureBritish

MediumSilk threads on wool ground

DimensionsFramed: 15 1/8 x 11 11/16 in. (38.42 x 29.69 cm)

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

On View

Not on view

Period19th c

Classification(s)

Signed Louisa Byett

InscribedInscribed: Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand. / As the first efforts of an infants hand. / And while her fingers oer this canvas move. / Engage her tender heart to seek thy love. / With thy dear children let her share apart, / And write thy name thy self upon her heart. / Then when the last sad morn of life shall come. / May angels waft her to that heavenly home. / The eternal bounty of thy cross to share, / And triumph in her dear Redeemer there. At center: Louis Byett 1819

BibliographyThanks be to my Friends: Selected Samplers from the Collection of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center (Poughkeepsie: FLLAC, 2004) Sampler ("Jesus permit they gracious name to stand...")Exhibition HistoryPoughkeepsie, New York, FLLAC, Vassar College, "Thanks be to my Friends: Selected Samplers from the Collection of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center," June 5-July 18, 2004
DescriptionLousia Byett stitched a longer version of the well-known sampler verse by Isaac Watts for her pictorial and spot motif sampler. Decorative motifs are, in most instances, symmetrically arranged and include lions, crowns, eight-point stars, baskets, birds, trees, a swag, angels, flowering plants and urns. A large, 5 bay manor house or school, approached by a flight of stairs, displays an oversized rectangular window in a roof dormer or projecting porch. While the shape of the house is evident it appears that the intention was to finish the overstitching the bricks or ashlar in a pinkish hue and complete the overstitching of the black window panes. Flowering trees in urns and soldier sentries in red coats and black bearskin hats flank the house. There is a partial fence on either side of the area at the foot of the steps and between this fence are two tiny deer and a horse with rider followed by a dog. The composition is surrounded by a strawberry border. Colors are greens, dark pink, gold, grey, black, brown and white.

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