Images(3)

Quilt Fragment, Reversible Silk Stuffed Work

Date1600-1720

OriginEurope, Mediterranean, Greece, Island of Chios

MediumSilk, cotton stuffing.

Dimensions37" w x 90" l

Credit LineBequest of Grace Hartshorn Westerfield

Object number1974-650

DescriptionThis is a fragmentary quilt constructed of thin red silk (possibly called "Persian") on one side and yellow silk on the other side, with loosely spun thick cotton stuffing. The design shows mythological scenes and gods, ships in full sail, a man swimming, a face blowing (personifying the wind), a god standing on a dolphin, a man fishing, and individual fish. The fragmentary border shows interlacing circles or guilloche designs. The quilting is worked in light yellow running stitches. The quilt is a rectangular fragment with two notches cut out.Label TextThe motifs on this fragmentary quilt are taken from classical iconography, including the god Triton, shown blowing his horn, and the sea god Neptune, or Poseidon, standing on a swimming dolphin. The swimming man in the lower quarter may represent Leander swimming across Hellespont to his lover Hero. The ships fly pennants with crescent motifs, suggesting that the ships were part of the vast Ottoman empire, which extended to include the eastern Mediterranean at the time the quilt was made.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of Grace Hartshorn Westerfield.