MFA 44.750, Embroidered picture by Katherine Greene, America (1745)
Artifact Information
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 44.750. 43.7 x 56.7 cm.
Linen plain weave embroidered with wool and silk.
This is a pictorial embroidery of seated piping shepherd and shepherdess possibly embroidered by Katherine Greene Amory, American (Boston, Massachusetts), 1731–1777. The piece has a plain weave linen ground embroidered with silk and wool in tent stitch.[1].
Summary of results
The samples were taken from the objects for dye analysis on 2/24/2011 by textile conservator Masumi Kataoka. All of the samples were taken from the reverse side of the textiles, which were considered to have been little exposed to light. The brightness of the original colors was still seen there. Samples were sent to Prof. Richard Laursen for analysis at Boston University.
It was found that weld was used for yellow, cochineal for various shades of red, lichen for a bordeaux red and young fustic for a brown color.
References
[1] https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/fragment-with-wrestling-lions-and-harpies-66254