Centennial Quilt187685 x 77 1/2 " (215.9 x 196.9 cm)Cotton with cotton embroideryGift of Rhea Goodman1979.9.10Pieced and appliqued quilt, white cotton field with pink, blue, green, red, and yellow pieced and appliqued elements. Border with applied letters two sides flanked by tree and bird motifs; remaining two borders with stylized flower and leaf motifs; four-axle leaf form each corner. Zig-zag border inside, two sides, green on pink. Diamond in square configuration inside border, square within diamond. Field broken up into diamond-shaped and triangular blocks with flowers, leaves, stars. Heart four corners, two baskets with birds. Dated 1876 two sides central square, between points of star form with tulips between points. Includes reverse applique around eyes. Chain and feather stitch for birds. Backing and top folded in. Outline and echo outline, grid in background. Appliqué152418292Gertrude KnappenbergerTextilesThe American Folk Art Museum believes this work to be in the public domain.twice in appliqué center: '1876'; twice in appliqué left and right edges: 'CENTENNIAL' twice in appliqué left and right edges: 'G. Knappenberger'http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster20754http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8975EmmausEmmausUnited StatesPennsylvaniaTextilesAmerican Folk Art, Hirschl and Adler Gallery, November 26-December 29, 1977Emmaus
piecedpatriotic quiltappliqued quiltPieced and appliqued quilt, white cotton field with pink, blue, green, red, and yellow pieced and appliqued elements. Border with applied letters two sides flanked by tree and bird motifs; remaining two borders with stylized flower and leaf motifs; four-axle leaf form each corner. Zig-zag border inside, two sides, green on pink. Diamond in square configuration inside border, square within diamond. Field broken up into diamond-shaped and triangular blocks with flowers, leaves, stars. Heart four corners, two baskets with birds. Dated 1876 two sides central square, between points of star form with tulips between points. Includes reverse applique around eyes. Chain and feather stitch for birds. Backing and top folded in. Outline and echo outline, grid in background.Bedcovers decorated primarily by the conventional appliqué technique (as opposed to the cut-out chintz method) became popular among American quiltmakers in the early 1840s. In this type of decoration, the quiltmaker cuts out her own designs, either freehand or with a pattern, rather than using one already printed on fabric. This change in the look of American quilts often is attributed to the adoption of the quiltmaking by Pennsylvania Germans, beginning in the 1830s.
A variety of popular Germanic motifs decorate this pieced and appliquéd bedcover: The facing birds, tulips, lilies, hearts, baskets, leaves, stars, and rosettes are all designs that are found on a wide array of Pennsylvania German folk art forms. Many of the images have been interpreted to have symbolic meaning. The lily and the tulip, for example, have been called symbols of purity and the Virgin, as well as an attribute of the archangel Gabriel. Whether or not this quilt had religious meaning to its maker, a G. Knappenberger, she made it clear that it was created in honor of the nation’s centennial celebration in 1876 by adding the word “centennial” and the date “1876” to her design. From visual evidence, the quilt has been assigned to Pennsylvania, not far from the site of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The G. Knappenberger whose name appears on this quilt has not been identified, but a descandant of a woman name Gertrude Knappenberger saw a photograph of the quilt and informed the Museum that the quiltmaker was likely her great-great-grandmother. According to family information, Knappenberger lived in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and would have been between sixty and seventy years old in 1876.https://www.knappenberger.net/3-2-2-4-jacob/This pieced and appliqued quilt was made in commemoration of the nation's centennial celebration. It is a virtual sampler of American pieced quilt motifs, including oak leaves, birds, tulips, baskets, hearts. Although the overall composition of the quilt is symmetrical in feeling, the individual elements are not: the two side borders are different as well as the motifs around the central square. Although G. Knappenberger has not been identified, the surname does appear in lists of Pennsylvania Schwenkfelder families. The name is found in the 1876 Allentwon City Directory. (info. courtesy of Margaret Vincent.) The design motifs and use of "papercut" type appliques suggests a Pennsylvania origin for this quilt.The facing birds, tulips, lilies, hearts, baskets, leaves, stars, and rosettes seen on this quilt are all designs that are found on a wide array of Pennsylvania German folk art. Information received by the museum may confirm the conclusion, previously based solely on visual evidence, that the quilt was made in Pennsylvania. A descendant of a woman named Gertrude Knappenberger saw a photograph of the quilt and notified the museum that her great-great-grandmother was remembered in the family as an excellent quiltmaker. According to family information, Gertrude Knappenberger lived in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and would have been between 60 and 70 years old in 1876, the year of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
Stacy C. Hollander, "Centennial Quilt," exhibition label for QUILTS: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum. Stacy C. Hollander, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2010. Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.orghttp://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster20754http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8975http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster20754http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8975http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster20754http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster897518761876 1979 9 1 piecedpatriotic quiltappliqued quiltPieced and appliqued quilt, white cotton field with pink, blue, green, red, and yellow pieced and appliqued elements. Border with applied letters two sides flanked by tree and bird motifs; remaining two borders with stylized flower and leaf motifs; four-axle leaf form each corner. Zig-zag border inside, two sides, green on pink. Diamond in square configuration inside border, square within diamond. Field broken up into diamond-shaped and triangular blocks with flowers, leaves, stars. Heart four corners, two baskets with birds. Dated 1876 two sides central square, between points of star form with tulips between points. Includes reverse applique around eyes. Chain and feather stitch for birds. Backing and top folded in. Outline and echo outline, grid in background.Bedcovers decorated primarily by the conventional appliqué technique (as opposed to the cut-out chintz method) became popular among American quiltmakers in the early 1840s. In this type of decoration, the quiltmaker cuts out her own designs, either freehand or with a pattern, rather than using one already printed on fabric. This change in the look of American quilts often is attributed to the adoption of the quiltmaking by Pennsylvania Germans, beginning in the 1830s.
A variety of popular Germanic motifs decorate this pieced and appliquéd bedcover: The facing birds, tulips, lilies, hearts, baskets, leaves, stars, and rosettes are all designs that are found on a wide array of Pennsylvania German folk art forms. Many of the images have been interpreted to have symbolic meaning. The lily and the tulip, for example, have been called symbols of purity and the Virgin, as well as an attribute of the archangel Gabriel. Whether or not this quilt had religious meaning to its maker, a G. Knappenberger, she made it clear that it was created in honor of the nation’s centennial celebration in 1876 by adding the word “centennial” and the date “1876” to her design. From visual evidence, the quilt has been assigned to Pennsylvania, not far from the site of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The G. Knappenberger whose name appears on this quilt has not been identified, but a descandant of a woman name Gertrude Knappenberger saw a photograph of the quilt and informed the Museum that the quiltmaker was likely her great-great-grandmother. According to family information, Knappenberger lived in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and would have been between sixty and seventy years old in 1876.https://www.knappenberger.net/3-2-2-4-jacob/This pieced and appliqued quilt was made in commemoration of the nation's centennial celebration. It is a virtual sampler of American pieced quilt motifs, including oak leaves, birds, tulips, baskets, hearts. Although the overall composition of the quilt is symmetrical in feeling, the individual elements are not: the two side borders are different as well as the motifs around the central square. Although G. Knappenberger has not been identified, the surname does appear in lists of Pennsylvania Schwenkfelder families. The name is found in the 1876 Allentwon City Directory. (info. courtesy of Margaret Vincent.) The design motifs and use of "papercut" type appliques suggests a Pennsylvania origin for this quilt.The facing birds, tulips, lilies, hearts, baskets, leaves, stars, and rosettes seen on this quilt are all designs that are found on a wide array of Pennsylvania German folk art. Information received by the museum may confirm the conclusion, previously based solely on visual evidence, that the quilt was made in Pennsylvania. A descendant of a woman named Gertrude Knappenberger saw a photograph of the quilt and notified the museum that her great-great-grandmother was remembered in the family as an excellent quiltmaker. According to family information, Gertrude Knappenberger lived in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and would have been between 60 and 70 years old in 1876, the year of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
Stacy C. Hollander, "Centennial Quilt," exhibition label for QUILTS: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum. Stacy C. Hollander, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2010. Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org