Images(2)

Quilt, Indigo Resist Printed

Date1785-1830

OriginEurope, France

MediumCotton and linen (fiber identification by microscope in textile lab)

DimensionsOW: 90" x OL: 98"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1958-406

DescriptionThis is a rectangular whole cloth quilt of dark indigo and white cotton printed in the resist technique. The design consists of white pomegranate palmettes in vases with curling serrated leaves enclosed within vertical, undulating leafy and flower sprays. There is a picotage decorated background. A narrow border is added on one end printed in a small-scale blockprinted resist pattern of light-blue thorny twigs on dark-blue ground. The reverse of the quilt is made of three different cotton printed textiles forming large patches on the back, repaired and patched with additional printed textiles. One of the backing textiles is printed with a floral sprig in pink, white, and blue on reddish-brown ground; the second has white circles enclosing splotchy figures on brown ground; and the third has pink, blue, yellow, and white flowers and leaves on dark-blue ground. The linen running-stitched quilting is worked through thick cotton batting to form a center field of double-line diamonds bordered on two sides with a two-line cable. One corner has a heart where the cables meet. The edges are finished by bringing the face fabrics to the back to form a narrow turned-under edging. The quilt has been cut down on at least one side, and later printed textiles are used as repair patches on the back.