"Fruit, Bird and Butterfly"

Dateca. 1825

MediumPaint on cotton velvet

Dimensions12 3/4" X 16 15/16"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1931.403.4

Label TextMore than twenty-five examples of the Fruit, Bird and Butterfly group have been recorded, suggesting that the instructions for executing this design were likely printed and widely distributed. Minor variations indicate that amateur artists completed many of the details to suit their individual tastes. Living creatures like the bird and butterfly are absent from many theorem patterns, but here they are dynamic additions to the basket containing milkweed pods and a variety of fruits, including grapes, peaches, and pears.