1786 Mourning Needlework / Art
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This piece of needlework art from 1786 shows the the urn and willow as a powerful reminder of love, memory and death. In the 1780s, the urn motif was the most popular design for the symbol of death in Protestant based mourning art, which this design connects with. The depiction of the willow tree and the shading to the urn is incorporates some remarkable stitching as it is organic enough to be considered a drawing rather than stitching.
Stitched mourning art lends itself towards folk art, being taught through generations of women in the 18th and 19th centuries. Designs featured in these are emblematic of family values and their status. Samplers such as these would be displayed in the home and shared with friends and family.
Courtesy: Barbara Robbins
Year: 1786
Dedication: E,H.
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