Martha Dyckman's Sampler
Title
Martha Dyckman's Sampler
Holding Institution
Creator
Martha Dyckman
Provenance Information
The piece came to the museum in 2022 from someone who had unearthed it in a closet where it had been forgotten.
Accession Number 2022.01
Accession Number 2022.01
Date Created
c.1780s
Format
sampler
REDC Region
Notes
The sampler is a well executed Adam and Eve scene, with a central tree bearing a serpent and standing human figure on either
side. In each corner are stylized plants in pots. A serpentine flower design creates a boarder around the central scene. Most of
the entire central section is completely embroidered. “1778” is stitched at the top and “B O R II(sic N) 16 /MARTHA◊DYCKMAN*OCT” is stitched in dark brown threads along the lower edge.
This sampler is historically significant because it is one of the few objects available that are of personal significance to Martha Dyckman. Women during this time were not typically recorded in historical documents, because their social sphere was in the background of the male experience. Women tended to the home and were known by their husbands name rather than their own. For this reason, samplers are one of the few examples we have of the lives of women during the colonial period.
This sampler showcases the tree of life with Adam and Eve on either side, which is one of the biblical stories that have been identified as repeatedly appearing in New York City samplers. These repeating biblical stories appear among families involved in Reformed Protestant churches. Preserving Martha’s sampler in our collection gives the public a chance to connect to a small part of New York City's history. Additionally this object allows the museum to discuss those who did not have the leisure time and privilege, such as enslaved people, to create these decorative pieces, yet were required to have the skills to create and mend clothing and household goods.
The sampler will be displayed as a glimpse into what girlhood looked like for Martha and other girls at that time. Girls were not necessarily afforded an academic education, rather they were encouraged to adopt skills that pertained to the roles they would assume as women, like sewing, homemaking, and entertainment. For Martha, crafting a sampler, which was somewhat limited in the scope of the expression it could convey, might have been an opportunity to express creativity and who she was. The public will be able to see a new perspective on the lives lead on and around the Dyckman Farmhouse. Martha’s sampler will be used to bridge the gap between white middle to upper class families, the experiences of freed and enslaved black girls learning how to embroider, and embroidery as creative political expression.
side. In each corner are stylized plants in pots. A serpentine flower design creates a boarder around the central scene. Most of
the entire central section is completely embroidered. “1778” is stitched at the top and “B O R II(sic N) 16 /MARTHA◊DYCKMAN*OCT” is stitched in dark brown threads along the lower edge.
This sampler is historically significant because it is one of the few objects available that are of personal significance to Martha Dyckman. Women during this time were not typically recorded in historical documents, because their social sphere was in the background of the male experience. Women tended to the home and were known by their husbands name rather than their own. For this reason, samplers are one of the few examples we have of the lives of women during the colonial period.
This sampler showcases the tree of life with Adam and Eve on either side, which is one of the biblical stories that have been identified as repeatedly appearing in New York City samplers. These repeating biblical stories appear among families involved in Reformed Protestant churches. Preserving Martha’s sampler in our collection gives the public a chance to connect to a small part of New York City's history. Additionally this object allows the museum to discuss those who did not have the leisure time and privilege, such as enslaved people, to create these decorative pieces, yet were required to have the skills to create and mend clothing and household goods.
The sampler will be displayed as a glimpse into what girlhood looked like for Martha and other girls at that time. Girls were not necessarily afforded an academic education, rather they were encouraged to adopt skills that pertained to the roles they would assume as women, like sewing, homemaking, and entertainment. For Martha, crafting a sampler, which was somewhat limited in the scope of the expression it could convey, might have been an opportunity to express creativity and who she was. The public will be able to see a new perspective on the lives lead on and around the Dyckman Farmhouse. Martha’s sampler will be used to bridge the gap between white middle to upper class families, the experiences of freed and enslaved black girls learning how to embroider, and embroidery as creative political expression.
Citation
“Martha Dyckman's Sampler,” Flipping The Narrative, accessed February 10, 2025, https://flippingthenarrative.omeka.net/items/show/4.