Picture, Needlework

Title:

The Landing of Columbus

Object Name:

Picture, Needlework

Object ID:

1945.016.01

Creator:

Mitchell, Margaret (1784-1867)

Place of Origin:

Boston, MA

Date:

circa 1800

Description:

Embroidered picture of "The Landing of Columbus," by Margaret Mitchell, c. 1800. The picture features a full-length portrait of Columbus, standing on shore and leaning on his sword, and holding his feathered hat in his left hand. He wears a gold-colored suit consisting of a doublet with slashing on the upper sleeves and across the chest, and knee-length breeches with slashing at the upper leg. His cape is blue and he wears a wide, Van Dyck lace collar with matching cuffs on his sleeves. His sword belt hangs diagonally across his chest. Standing under a tree behind and to the left of Columbus is a cluster of men, including a priest, standing with a large cross, and two gentlemen, with a ruff collars and feathered hats. In the background, sailors haul a rowboat to shore, while another rowboat farther out in the water is full of more sailors. In the far distance can be seen three sailing ships. The faces and hands of the men, the sea, boats, sailors, and sky are painted with watercolor and gouache, while the rest of the scene is embroidered with silk floss in shades of gold, taupe, tan, blue, pink, and cream. Stitches used include long-and-short, couching, and French knots. The stitches are carefully laid to create the effect of roundness to the arms and legs. The picture retains its original reverse-painted cover glass and gilded frame. The glass is painted in black and gold with the inscription at the bottom: "THE LANDING OF COLUMBUS IN AMERICA Oct. 12 1492. / WROUGHT BY MARGARET S. MITCHELL AT MRS ROWSONS' ACADEMY." [Mrs. Rowson's Academy was located in Boston, MA.]

Material:

Textile
Silk

Dimensions:

H-30.2 W-22.3 inches

Provenance:

The collection of needlework, drawings, and related objects owned by Margaret Mitchell was left to Jeannie M. Bradford (1844-1895) of Francestown, NH, by her mother, Jane Bradford (1819-1889), the daughter of Margaret Mitchell. Jeannie Bradford bequeathed the collection to her friend, Mary F. Gilchrist (1842-1903). Mary Gilchrist bequeathed the collection to her nephew, Harry W. Gilchrist (1868-1937) of Meredith, NH. Mattie Estella Bean Gilchrist (1865-1954), the wife of the Harry W. Gilchrist donated the collection to the New Hampshire Historical Society on July 13, 1945.

Credit Line:

Gift of Mattie Estella Bean Gilchrist, in Memory of Harry Wilbur Gilchrist

People:

Mitchell, Margaret (1784-1867), Rowson, Susanna (1764-1824), Bradford, Jane (1819-1889), Bradford, Jeannie M. (1844-1895), Gilchrist, Mary F. (1842-1903), Gilchrist, Harry W. (1868-1937), Gilchrist, Mattie Estella Bean (1865-1954)

Subjects:

Columbus, Christopher