{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O238726"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O238726/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE9204/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE9204/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EE9204","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O238726/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O238726","accessionNumber":"E.372:8-1967","objectType":"Embroidery design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Two separate designs for continuous floral patterns on graph paper by Sarah Bland (1810-1905).","physicalDescription":"Two separate designs for continuous floral patterns on graph paper.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sarah Bland","id":"A7403"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28690"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Wittich, Grünthal, Nicolai","id":"A18882"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x40048"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"water-colour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"graph paper","id":"AAT14159"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink, water-colour, painting","categories":[{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2010EE9204"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLH (VA)","id":"THES49654"},"free":"","case":"95","shelf":"C","box":"101"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1836","earliest":"1831-01-01","latest":"1840-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.372-1967","id":""},"association":"Set"}],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs D. McGregor","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"21","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"size of volume","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"size of volume","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from <u>Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1964.</u> London: HMSO, 1965.","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Historical significance: Within the study of embroidery, men tend to be recorded as professional embroiderers or pattern drawers, whereas women worked more ambiguously with designs for embroidery. Women's amateur as opposed to professional designs for embroidery raise problems because amateur work has tended to be regarded as less significant. Embroidery was a pastime but was also an economic activity. Upper middle class women's property was closely linked to their status within the family as daughters, wives and widows and only allowed semi-independence. This semi-independence was underpinned by legal, political, and social practices which subordinated them. Nevertheless, it was combined with recognition of their economic worth within the family enterprise. However, women were restricted as they often could not be openly involved in working for money. See L. Davidoff and C. Hall (Reference Tab). Bland could not be seen to be working but it is likely that she embroidered accessories for dress, penwipers, tablecloths, book covers, and cushions as gifts which were her contribution to the household, wider family, and friendship. The quality of her samplers and designs shows the value of such gifts in terms of relationships with family and friends.\r\n\r\nMaterial about the perceptions of a woman's role is pertinent to the discourse on women and therefore gender history. In Bland's case, the gift of designs demonstrates connections between relatives of merchant and banking families and is of historical significance in bonding between such families.","historicalContext":"The Blands were related to the banking family of the Barclays .  Sarah Bland (1810-1905) was listed as a 'gentlewoman' in the 1851 census return and is not recorded as having any occupation in the census returns for 1871 and 1901 which is consistent with her social status. The Blands stayed in the coastal resort of St. Leonards-on-Sea. This design was shared between Lady Temple and Sarah Bland and shows the gift of a pattern within a social network of women at the resort. \r\n\r\nSt. Leonards was developed by James Burton (1761-1837), builder and developer from 1828-1830. The 'Dispatch' coach started travelling between London and St. Leonards in 1830.  This journey took seven and a half hours.  In June 1846, the South Coast Railway from London to St. Leonards was opened. The census return recorded the Blands as living in the same crescent as James Burton's son, the architect, Decimus, in 1841.  \r\n\r\nThe botanical painter, Marianne North (1830-1884) wintered in the nearby resort of Hastings and knew the artist William Henry Hunt 91790-1864), famous for his paintings of birds' nests. The resorts were a favoured place for artists. Bland also painted botanical illustration whilst in St. Leonards and she toured other parts of Sussex to record wild flowering plants","briefDescription":"Two separate designs for continuous floral patterns on graph paper, ca. 1836 by Sarah Bland (1810-1905).","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Parry, J.D. <u> An Historical and Descriptive Account of the Coast of Sussex, Eastbourne, Hastings, St. Leonards [...] forming a guide to all the Watering Places. </u> London: Wright, Brighton and Longman, 1833, p.238."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1967 </u>.  London: HMSO, 1968."}],"production":"There are three samplers by Sarah Bland in the collection of  the Textiles and Fashion Department: T.238-1967; T.239-1967 and T.240-1967.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"floral patterns","id":"AAT10135"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.372:8-1967"],"accessionNumberNum":"372","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1967,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-07","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-04","availableToBook":false}}