Four Patch Chain Variation
ca. 1885
Medium
Decorative Arts-Fiber
Classification
Decorative Arts-Fiber
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Iris and Jay Leonard and Kohler Foundation, Inc.
Accession Number
2013.67.11
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 19th-century American folk art with *Four Patch Chain Variation*, a captivating quilt from around 1885. Created by an unidentified artist, this piece exemplifies the ingenuity of everyday makers—likely women in rural communities—who transformed scraps of fabric into intricate designs. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Decorative Arts-Fiber collection, it was generously gifted by Iris and Jay Leonard and the Kohler Foundation, Inc., highlighting its enduring value. The title reveals its roots in traditional patchwork quilting, where small fabric blocks are ...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –