Images(5)

Sampler, Map of the City of Washington by Eve Resler

Date1800-1804

Maker Eve Resler (ca. 1784 - 1813)

OriginAmerica, District of Columbia, Washington or Virginia, Alexandria (probably)

MediumSilk embroidery threads, ink, and paint on silk with linen tape

DimensionsH: 19 1/8" x W: 26 1/4"

Credit LinePurchased with partial gift funds from Cristy Lee Bennett, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Isaac, and Jeannine's Sampler Seminar

Object number2006-26

DescriptionThis is a large silk embroidered and painted map sampler of the City of Washington inscribed in black silk backstitches in the bottom right corner "EVE RESLER." The map sampler primarily consists of a detailed embroidered map of Washington D. C. worked in black silk backstitches and blue, green, and gold satin stitches depicting Georgetown, the Eastern Branch of the Potomac River, city blocks, streets, waterways, and buildings including the President's House and the Capitol. The map is entitled "PLAN/ of the CITY of/ Washington/ in the Territory of Columbia/ ceded by the States of/ VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND/ to the/ United States of America/ and by them established as the/ SEAT of their GOVERNMENT/ after the YEAR/ 1800." A mariner's compass with a fleur de lis at top has the inscription beneath it: "Lat. of Capitol 38 53n." A scale beneath the signature of Eve Resler shows 600 poles = 6 inches.
Centered at the top of the map sampler is a painted rose swag. Embroidered and painted allegorical figures of "Hope," "La Liberty," and "Justice" are at the top left, center, and right. The verse beneath the figure of "Justice" at left reads: "Justice her equal scale aloft displays:/ And Rights both human and devine [sic] she weighs/ But laws no safety to the weak afford./ Unless the scale is balanced by the sword." Beneath the figure of "Hope" at right are the embroidered word "Remarks" and eleven lines of unreadable text in ink.
A painted and embroidered portrait bust of George Washington is in a cartouche in the left bottom corner. Two winged angel faces rest on top of the cartouche with crossed feathers below and the inscription: "GEORGE WASHINGTON/ First President of the United States/ and late LIEUTENANT GENERAL of the / American Armies/ Died at Mount Vernon 14th Dec. 1799 Aged 68 Years." A painted scene of the allegorical figures of Fame and Liberty flanking the Washington armorial shield are to the right of the cartouche.

Stitches: backstitch, cross, split satin, and possibly double running
Label TextA tour de force of American iconography, Eve Resler's embroidered and painted map entitled "Plan of the City of Washington" is among the most ambitious of Federal America. In addition to a detailed map of the city of Washington worked in meticulous backstitches, it features the allegorical figures of "Hope," "La Liberty," and "Justice" at the top. In the bottom left corner is an embroidered and painted portrait bust of George Washington with a tribute to the general and first president.

Eve Resler was probably the daughter of Mary and Jacob Resler, a candle maker in Alexandria. She created the map sampler sometime between the death of George Washington on December 14, 1799, and her marriage to Alexandria silversmith James Galt on April 28, 1804.
InscribedBeneath figure of "Justice" at left of map sampler:
"Justice her equal scale aloft displays:/ And Rights both human and devine [sic] she weighs/ But laws no safety to the weak afford./ Unless the scale is balanced by the sword."
Beneath figure of "Hope" at right of map sampler:
"Remarks"
Signature at bottom right:
"Eve Resler"
Beneath cartouche of portrait bust of George Washington:
"GEORGE WASHINGTON/ First President of the United States/ and late LIEUTENANT GENERAL of the / American Armies/ Died at Mount Vernon 14th Dec. 1799 Aged 68 Years."
The map is entitled "PLAN/ of the CITY of/ Washington/ in the Territory of Columbia/ ceded by the States of/ VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND/ to the/ United States of America/ and by them established as the/ SEAT of their GOVERNMENT/ after the YEAR/ 1800."

ProvenanceThe map sampler was signed by Eve Resler. Eve Resler was probably the daughter of Mary and Jacob Resler, an Alexandria, Virginia, tallow chandler. Eve's precise date of birth is unknown, although her father arrived in Philadelphia from St. Andrews in October, 1783 (Hollan notes). Eve married Alexandria silversmith James Galt (1779-1847) on April 28, 1804, in Alexandria County, then a part of the District of Columbia (Alexandria Gazette, May 1, 1804). Galt advertised from silversmith John Pittman's shop at the corner of Prince and Royal Street, then moved to King Street in 1802 (Hollan, IN THE NEATEST, MOST FASHIONABLE MANNER: THREE CENTURIES OF ALEXANDRIA SILVER). James and Eve Galt had four children: Alfred, James Madison, Jacob, and Tammany (Hollan notes). Eve died on July 18, 1813, and was presumably buried outside the town limits (Alexandria Gazette, July 19, 1813).
The early descent of the map sampler is unknown. Sometime before 1939, the sampler was in the collection of Josephine Wheelwright Rust (1864-1931), a wealthy Washington, DC socialite and Westmoreland County native. Mrs. Rust was instrumental in founding the Wakefield National Memorial Association, Inc. (WNMA), which rebuilt Washington’s birthplace (later renamed the George Washington Birthplace National Monument). She served as its first president and in 1931, four days prior to her death, she signed the deed turning over the lands and buildings to the US government. A collateral descendent of Nathaniel Pope and John Washington, Mrs. Rust collected George Washington memorabilia and artifacts with Washington associations.
Mrs. Josephine Wheelwright Rust gave the map sampler to the Westmoreland County Museum who sold it through Sumpter Priddy to Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 2006.