This violet and lime green gem has been donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in honor of the upcoming retirement of Amelia Peck, the museum’s Marica F. Vilcek Curator of American Decorative Arts and Consulting Curator, Antonio Ratti Textile Center. I am incredibly pleased that such a vibrant and engaging quilt will be in the collection to celebrate her sharp eye.
The circles quilt will join others from my collection now at the Met – including a Nellie Bowman Block crazy crib quilt, Mary Clara Milligan Kindler Moore’s political rooster quilt, and a graphic red and white schoolhouse quilt.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10028
Open:
Sunday - Tuesday, 10 AM - 5 PM
Thursday, 10 AM - 5 PM
Friday - Saturday, 10 AM - 9 PM
About the circles quilt
“This vivid work of art proves that circumstances such as not having enough of a single color green or purple fabric to make a completely uniform pattern only adds to the creativity and joyous quality of the finished quilt’s unusual design. Attributed to an unidentified Black maker from Alabama, its construction, materials, and quilting style align with quilts by other Black makers from the American South.”
Circles, based on Snake Trail or Drunkard's Trail among others
Once named maker
Made in Alabama
1960s - 1970s
Cottons
Hand pieced
Hand quilted with purple thread
Backing brought to front
71.25” x 62.25”
