Our Life is Never at a Stand, Its Like a Fading Flower, Lovely and Poignant 1839 Sampler, Elizer Merchant orange and green it is always time for

it is always time for a plein air painting outing

with all but one tiny piece for the very southern tip of South American present

but I find that

Graphite and watercolor on lined paper

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

Our Life is Never at a Stand, Its Like a Fading Flower, Lovely and Poignant 1839 Sampler, Elizer Merchant orange and green it is always time forOur 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