Museum Object Number1991.0046 A |
Needlework picture (Silkwork picture)
Calliope and Clio
Textiles (Needlework)
Museum purchase with funds provided by the Special Fund for Collection Objects
Sarah Skinner Ward (Maker)
Samuel Folwell (Artist)
Miss Sarah Maltby (School mistress)
Sarah Catherine Skinner (Ward) worked this silk on silk needlework picture between 1810 and 1813 while attending Miss Sarah Maltby's School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sarah was born on August 15, 1796 in Philadelphia. Her father was William Skinner. No documentation has been found on Sarah's father in Philadelphia at the time she would have worked this piece. A widowed Elizabeth Skinner was living in the city at that time and could be a possible relation who hosted Sarah while she engaged in her studies. A number of Skinners appear to have shared addresses in Philadelphia, residing at them simultaneously as well as across different years. Sarah married Nahum Ward on October 21, 1817 in Marietta, Washington, Ohio. Sarah died on August 4, 1844.Samuel Folwell (1764-1813) married Ann Elizabeth Gebler (1773-1824). Elizabeth operated an embroidery school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before her children were born. The patterns for her embroidered pictures were drawn and painted by her husband, who was an artist and engraver. Their son Godfrey (1799-1855) began drawing at an early age. He was 14 years old when his father died in 1813. He began copying some of his father's patterns to help his mother as she continued teaching to support the family. Both father and son drew patterns for other teachers as well. Godfrey's work is occasionally difficult to distinguish from Samuel's work. By 1819, Godfrey Folwell appeared in the Philadelphia directory as "G. Folwell teacher of fancy drawing," and although signed pieces by his father have not been found, at least two embroideries, including the one in Winterthur's collection, are known to bear Godfrey's signature. (Ring, Betty. "Girlhood Embroidery," Vol. II, pp. 378-387.)Between 1802 and 1816 city directories list a widowed Sarah Maltby living within a block of the Folwells' Dock Street School, where Folwell's wife, Ann Elizabeth Gebler, taught embroidery. Living in close proximity to the Folwell School, Miss Maltby would likely have access to Folwell designs. It is known that Samuel Folwell painted designs to be executed at other schools than his, but he was dead by 1813, so this design must date between 1805 and 1813.
179603/10/1764
184411/25/1813
Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America
Sarah Skinner (Ward) worked this picture while attending Miss Sarah Maltby's School in Philadelphia. Samuel Folwell of Philadelphia, designed and painted this picture.
1810-1813
Mythological; George Washington
Silk; Watercolor; Linen; Gilt; Chenille; Paint
Embroidered, Painted, Woven (plain)
Hand-embroidered, hand-painted
18.375 (L) , 24.75 (W)
46.672 (L) , 62.865 (W)
Measurement of needlework by sight, in frame. H at left. W at bottom. Measurement of modern frame: 25.500" H x 31.500" W x 1.250" D Measurement of original glass: 21.500" L x 27.500" W
Text available soon.
[Book] Swan, Susan Burrows. 1995 Plain and Fancy: American Women and their Needlework, 1650-1850.
• Published: p. 166, pl. 32
[Article] Deutsch, Davida. 02//1981 Samuel Folwell of Philadelphia: An artist for the needleworker. Antiques. 119: 420-423.
• Design source: p. 412, fig. 2