Our Life is Never at a Stand, Its Like a Fading Flower, Lovely and Poignant 1839 Sampler, Elizer Merchant orange and green Graphite and watercolor on lined

Graphite and watercolor on lined paper

so I am quite confident this dates to just about then

This dress form is partial--it would once have attached to a lower half to make a full body form

it is always time for a plein air painting outing

Our Life is Never at a Stand, Its Like a Fading Flower, Lovely and Poignant 1839 Sampler, Elizer Merchant orange and green Graphite and watercolor on linedOur life is never at a stand its like a fading flower death that is always near at hand came near every our 1839. Quite a lot of life and poetry in that! Including in how the lines are divided. And then dogs and cats and hearts and birds and baskets and flowers of many sorts. I admire a lot of samplers, but this one was, without a second of hesitation, for me. I think our Elizer Merchant was an old soul. 13 7 16" x 12 1 2" framed. Good antique