Sampler
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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
This skillfully executed sampler belongs to one the most recognizable groups of samplers associated with a specific school, that of Mary Balch. Balch (1762–1831), also known as Polly, began teaching in 1782 to help support her family. During her 45 years of teaching, several distinctive styles of samplers and silk embroideries evolved at her school. The maker of this sampler was possibly Lucy Potter Fuller (1778–1864), the daughter of Joseph Potter (1739–1831) and Abigail Dunwell Potter (1750–1828), who married Joseph Field Fuller (1763–1845) in 1794.
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