Origin: Germany
Stitch Count: 295 x 363
Stitches: Cross Stitch

An eye-catcher.

This is an exceptional German sampler most probably worked in Saxony. Unusual is the fact that it was worked only in red floss, unusual also are the many motifs ranging from very tiny to somewhat larger. Also unusual is that the sampler was worked from bottom to top not top to bottom. As is typical for samplers from Saxony, the sampler is worked entirely in reversible cross stitch.

While later schoolgirl samplers from about 1870 were often worked only in red with several alphabets and a few motifs, this monochrome red sampler from the first quarter of the 19th cen-tury is rich in very sophisticated running borders, alphabets, and motifs.

What stands out in the upper portion of the sampler is the ”liveliness” of the motifs, no matter how small.  The woman seems to be working diligently at her spinning, the town crier is walk-ing through the streets with his lantern and horn to announce the news.

A number of the motifs and the borders seem to have been taken from or influenced by the early model books:  Rosina Fürst’s parrot, her distinctive wreath, and single blossoms to the left and right of the wreath or Peter Quentel’s (taken from Schönsperger) paired birds with one foot in the air with three blooms between them.

The often Christian symbolism of the motifs seems to still be present here, for example the three blooms representing the Trinity, the parrot as a symbol for the Virgin Mary Mother of God, the Paschal Lamb holding the victory flag showing He has conquered death.