'Crazy Quilt'
1880/85
Medium
Silk, cotton, and wool, pieced plain, twill, and satin weaves; some with velvet, some with patterning and brocading wefts, and some self-patterned; some printed / painted; some watered (moiré); embroidered with silk, cotton, gilt-and-silvered-metal-strip-wrapped cotton and silk, and copper-metal-strip-wrapped wool in back, individual back, chain, detached chain, eyelet, feather, herringbone, overcast, satin, surface satin, single, stem stitches; laid work and couching; embellished and appliquéd with gilt and silver metal and gelatin paillettes, lacquered paper, glass, ceramic, and metal beads, pearls, silk ribbons, leather, and machine embroidered motifs; edged with silk chenille and cotton, machine-made net; cut work embroidered in overcast and satin stitches; backed wtih silk, plain weave
Dimensions
214.6 × 184.8 cm (84 1/2 × 72 3/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
37884
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...