Ann Flower’s Sketchbook

Abstract

In the 1760s, a young Philadelphian, Ann Flower, compiled a book of watercolor, pen, and pencil sketches of whimsical, naturalistic, and ornamental subjects. A careful investigation of the sources and counterparts of her sketches reveals the ways in which she transformed provincial and urbane design elements to create unique embroideries. Like her contemporaries in the colonial city, Ann used needlework as a form of self‐expression that defined her in reference to communal aesthetic standards and social networks. Rather than simply affirming common bonds, her design choices called attention to her distinct history and talent.