"Tulip" or "Cotton Bolls" Quilt
c. 1845/50
Dimensions
221 × 210.8 cm (87 × 83 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
76064
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Textiles Department of the Art Institute of Chicago, the quilt titled *"Tulip" or "Cotton Bolls"* (c. 1845/50) exemplifies the anonymous artistry of 19th-century American domestic life. Measuring an impressive 221 × 210.8 cm (87 × 83 in.), this large-scale bedcover was likely crafted for practical use while showcasing meticulous skill. Its dual title hints at interpretive motifs—vibrant tulips evoking garden beauty or cotton bolls symbolizing the agrarian South—reflecting how quilters drew from nature and daily surroundings for inspiration. Created during the mid-1840s, a time ...
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...