Needlework picture (Canvaswork picture)

Description

This canvaswork picture was worked between 1740 and 1760, probably in Boston, Massachusetts using crewel yarns on a linen canvas. The anonymous young girl, whose initials "L.I." are worked into the left margin, probably attended a boarding school in Boston. A group of mid-18th-century Boston pastoral embroideries, known today as the "Fishing Lady" pictures, share similar motifs, and in many cases have a figure of a lady sitting by a pond, fishing or a lady spinning. In "Fishing Lady" embroideries other motifs surrounding her were inspired by a number of design sources, including a series of pastoral engravings by the French woman artist Claudine Bouzonnet Stella, her uncle Jacques Stella, hunting prints engraved by B. Baron, and paintings by John Wootton. Elements from each of these artist's designs can be seen repeated and combined in various ways in Boston embroideries, probably chosen by each embroiderer. The individuality of each arrangement is complimented by the skill of the needlewoman, making this group of embroideries quite appealing.