This late 17th/early 18th century English canvaswork (meaning that the entire ground canvas is covered in stitches) is a graphically stunning depiction of the Biblical story of Moses in the bulrushes. The images of the baby Moses in a basket and the daughter of the Pharaoh who finds him (hence, the crown on her head), along with her two attendants, are rendered in a naïve, almost Picasso-like manner making the entire picture both interesting and charming. The work was completed using wool threads in deep jewel-tone colors that, while toned over the centuries, still remain strong.
 
This needlework has been conservation mounted and placed under old glass in a brownish-black custom-made Perry Hopf frame.  The frame moulding profile is appropriate for the period of the needlework. The original wood stretcher onto which the needlework was nailed is included in the frame, separated from the needlework mount by archival-grade material (Mylar) that blocks the acidity of the wooden stretcher from reaching the mount.
 
Condition: In scattered areas throughout, some wool stitches have either dissolved completely or partially; in the case of the latter, the “ghost” or remains of wool stitches are evident. Like many early needlework pieces, this canvaswork is not perfectly square; this is evident from the small area of un-worked canvas in the lower-left and upper-right corners of this work. Sight: 13 3/4” by 17 5/8”; Overall 16 1/4” x 20 3/16”.