Friday, July 13, 2012

quilts from the civil war era


The exhibit at The Illinois State Museum at the Thompson Center in Chicago is up through September 14th.
I told the docent that I would be putting my hand very close to the quilts as I photographed them so that you could see the scale, but I promised I would not touch them.
They were out of the brochures, but the docent said they plan to post it, along with details of the quilts.
Highlights:
The seven sisters quilt--each of the stars is made of 6 diamonds, each about the size of a thumbnail.
A humble album quilt, machine quilted.
Macrame edging on two of the quilts.
Please forgive my photography--the quilts are in reduced light and on angled platforms.

From the press release:
The exhibition includes:
An album quilt made by a close neighbor of Abraham Lincoln and includes the names of Springfield women surrounding the Lincolns.
A quilt that a wounded Civil War veteran helped his wife create after the war.
A quilt made by a soldier's wife from Effingham whose son also volunteered when he came of age.
Quilts made by mothers and sisters of soldiers
A quilt made by a Jerseyville, Illinois, woman for her granddaughter in Tennessee, whose father was a Confederate officer
Quilts representing the array of popular quilt styles of the Civil War period, including five outstanding appliqué quilts from a young Pennsylvania woman's dowry.
The Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery, 100 West Randolph, suite 2-100, is located in the James R. Thompson Center and is one of five art sites around the state featuring Illinois artists and works from the Museum’s permanent collection. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, closed state holidays. The Gallery is free and wheelchair-accessible. Tour and school groups are welcome. Please call for appointments for guided tours at 312-814-5322. Visit our website at: www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/chicago/exhibitions.

http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/chicago/pressroom.html?NPR=1127











5 comments:

  1. All I can say is WOW! And thanks for sharing those pictures!

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  2. Oh my, these quilts take my breath away. How splendid that you were able to photograph them. Thanks for sharing

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  3. Sharon, above me here has sent me to your blog. These quilts are so beautiful and without your photos I would probably never have the opportunity to enjoy them. Thank you so much!

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  5. How thrilling; thank you for posting these and getting such good closeups.

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