Card table

Boston's conservative Puritan roots continued to hold sway in the first half of the eighteenth century, as extensive legislation against such social vices as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and card playing made evident. Despite such laws, the existence of this card table and a small group of related examples made between 1730 and 1750 proves that wealthy Bostonians of the time participated in these forbidden activities and reveals a move in the Massachusetts Bay Colony toward a more secular society. This piece's finely wrought needlework playing surface-no doubt the handiwork of a young woman-belies the small transgression that the table represents. The embroidered scene is a common one derived from contemporary print sources; it depicts a shepherdess resting on her elbow amid an abundance of flora and fauna. As part of their schooling, girls of affluent families were taught several genteel skills, including drawing, letter writing, conversation, and needlework. Large embroidered pictures were cherished as significant accomplishments, often framed or mounted and kept as a reminder of a woman's girlhood. Thus, secular rebellion and the innocence of young womanhood collide in this single piece of furniture.This text was adapted from Ward, et al., MFA Highlights: American Decorative Arts & Sculpture (Boston, 2006) available at www.mfashop.com/mfa-publications.html.

This table is notable for its original, needlework top, undoubtedly worked by a young woman, as was customary. The embroidered scene is derived from contemporary print sources and depicts a shepherdess resting on her elbow amid an abundance of flora and fauna.