Bedcover
c. 1790
Medium
Three panels joined: cotton, plain weave; block-printed-resist-dyed; backed with linen, plain weave; edged with cotton, plain weave tape; block-printed-resist-dyed; quilted with linen
Dimensions
249.4 × 237.2 cm (98 1/8 × 93 3/8 in.); Repeat: 64.2 × 47 cm (25 1/4 × 18 1/2 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
121944
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, England maintained restrictions on the export of textile-related technology and expertise. Copperplate engraving required specialized training, limiting its widespread use. The age-old tradition of printing with blocks continued in the United States. In this bedcover the blocks were used to apply the resist before the textile was dyed with indigo. Prior to the Revolutionary War, indigo cultivation for export was a profitable enterprise in South Caro...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...