Hanging

Object Name:

Hanging

Object ID:

1955.217

Creator:

Wilkins, Sophia (1788-1880)

Place of Origin:

Concord, NH

Date:

circa 1805

Description:

Hanging. Mourning picture attributed to Sophia Wilkins (1788-1880), Concord, NH, c. 1805. Altered during the late 19th century by stitching the picture to a brown velvet band at top and bottom, and a brass rod across the top so that it could be used as a wall hanging. The mourning picture is worked on cream-colored silk satin and features a silk-embroidered willow tree on the left, and a woman in neoclassical garb standing at a monument consisting of an urn on a large pedestal, which is embroidered very finely with the inscription, "In / Memory of / Esther Woodman / who died / July 12, 1803 / Ag'd 51." The ground, bushes, and a tree on the right are all embroidered with silk, as is the monument. Chenille yarns are used for the ground at the lower left. Stitches used include French knots, seed, straight, outline, and surface satin. The sky and the woman are painted. (Because the backing fabric of the hanging has been unstitched, the cataloguer has the rare opportunity to examine the back of the embroidery, which is worked through a backing layer of tan cotton behind the silk.) The top edge of the brown velvet band is stitched to small brass rings, through which a brass hanging rod has been placed. A chain (now broken) is attached to each end of the rod. The bottom band of velvet is edged with golden brown silk cord, which is knotted and hung with silk tassels in various shades of golden brown, cream, mossy green, and rosy pink. The tassels hang in alternating lengths of 3" and 4". The backing fabric (now released from the front) is brown cotton sateen.

Material:

Textile
Silk
Velvet
Metal
Paint

Dimensions:

H-13 W-12.5 inches

Provenance:

Lillian C. Raymond (1887-1983), the donor, was a descendant of Jeremiah Hall through his son-in-law, Deacon Jonathan Wilkins and wife Sarah Hall.

Credit Line:

Gift of Lillian C. Raymond

People:

Woodman, Esther (1752-1803), Wilkins, Sophia (1788-1880), White, Sophia (1788-1880), Raymond, Lillian C. (1887-1983)

Subjects:

Mourning, Mourning works, Embroidery, Velvet, Willows, Memorials, Handwork, Textiles, Textile art