Untitled (Broken Stars)
Medium
Decorative Arts-Fiber
Classification
Decorative Arts-Fiber
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Corrine Riley and museum purchase through the Barbara Coffey Quilt Endowment and the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
Accession Number
2016.5.14
Art Historical Context
**Untitled (Broken Stars)**, a striking fiber artwork from the 1940s by an unidentified American artist, captures the ingenuity of mid-20th-century decorative arts. Created during the World War II era, when resourcefulness defined daily life, this piece belongs to the rich tradition of American fiber works, likely a quilt or textile featuring the dynamic "Broken Stars" pattern—a bold geometric design evoking fragmented celestial motifs. Such patterns were popular in folk art, symbolizing resilience and creativity amid wartime challenges like material shortages. The medium's significance lies ...
About the Artist
Unidentified (American) ( ) · 1851 –1899
1851–1899