Quilts and Color at MFA

 

I went to MFA for "Quilts and Color, The Pilgrim and Roy Collection". 

 

I am not a quilter.  I do not know much about quilting.  To be honest, I went to view the show because everyone has been talking about. How did I found the quilts?  They are jaw dropping!  They are the complex geometric art with precision of stitches. 

 

Here are my favorites.

 

Feathered Diamond, Pennsylvania in 1890s.  From distance, it demonstrates its bod statement, and looks somewhat simple.  Chunky squares and triangles.  But look closely at the edges where pink and green meet.  The zigzags with complex stitch patterns!  Such an beautiful piece.  I have read in the English Home magazine that the combination of pink and apple green was considered as a good taste at some point.



 

 

Lend and Borrow, Pennsylvania in 1870s.  I thought the use of the colors are very whimsical and modern.  Many triangles again.  My daughter learnt how to calculate areas of triangles this semester at school, and has been learning Pythagorean Theorem at Kumon.  It might be fun for her to look at this.

 



 "Sunburst" by Mrs. Ephaim Scott, Pennsylvania in 1856.  Somehow, it reminds me of Japanese kimono patterns even if, I believe, they never used quilting techniques.  I love the green and pink edges and the sunburst patterns.  What I like most is the pink stars, which were probably appliqued.  I also like the T shape to accommodate bed posts.  It must have made a wonderful bed cover.  It was too funny that the family who owned it called this quilt "the ugly quilt".  I have to disagree.  Ephaim, you had a great taste!
 

 
Baltimore Album Quilt by Martha, Mary and Margaret Riley in 1847.  This might be the cutest and my most favorite among the quilts at the show.  Its color scheme is definitely Christmas from distance, but patterns inside have flowers and birds with yellow, blue and pink.  I do not think this piece was a geometrical challenge, though.  It is more like appliques.  I can sit in front to look at it all day.  I constantly found new details when I was there.  I wonder who used it?  A lucky girl?