{"object":[{"sourceId":{"label":"Source ID","value":"702"},"copyright":{"label":"Copyright","value":"The American Folk Art Museum believes this work to be in the public domain."},"thesconceptsTechnique":{"label":"Technique","value":["http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster16924","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13024","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13026","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster12319","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971"]},"creditline":{"label":"Credit Line","value":"Gift of the Amicus Foundation, Inc., and Evelyn and Leonard Lauder"},"endDate":{"label":"End Date","value":"1901"},"sortNumber":{"label":"Sort Number","value":"1986    20    1"},"invno":{"label":"Accession number","value":"1986.20.1"},"description":{"label":"Description","value":"Hand and machine-sewn, no quilting. Backing turned over top at top and bottom of quilt, two sides turned in towards one another and machine stitched on top. appliqué"},"medium":{"label":"Medium","value":"Cotton, silk, wool, ink, with cotton embroidery"},"geographyPlaceregion":{"label":"Place/Region","value":["West Chester",""]},"media":{"label":"Media","value":{"mediaURL":"https://collection.folkartmuseum.org/internal/media/dispatcher/1855/full","mediaDepartment":"Object Photographs","mediaType":"Image","mediaId":"1855"}},"title":{"label":"Title","value":"\"Sacret Bibel\" Quilt Top"},"geographyCity":{"value":["West Chester",""]},"textEntriesWebsitedisplaytext":{"value":["The Susan Arrowood who signed this unusual bedcover is believed to have lived in West Chester, Pennsylvania, at the end of the nineteenth century, but she has proved difficult to locate in either census or church records of the period. The scenes on this quilt top appear to have their origins in the Bible, although some may also represent activities at a church attended by the maker. Crudely written legends identify many of the scenes, and although the figures may at first appear to have been cut out identically like paper dolls, many have been individualized with slightly different dresses and hairstyles. This bedcover has been compared with the two quilts created by the masterful late-nineteenth-century African American quiltmaker Harriet Powers. All three quilts rely, in part, on the Bible for inspiration and include appliquéd scenes as well as figures that are more symbolic than individualized. There was a strong appliqué tradition among many African groups, and these quilts may have been influenced, even if indirectly, by that cultural history. Although anecdotal information has linked Susan Arrowood to the African American community, there is no direct evidence for any such connection.This bedcover has been compared with the two quilts created by the masterful late-nineteenth-century African American quiltmaker Harriet Powers. All three quilts rely, in part, on the Bible for inspiration and include appliquéd scenes as well as figures that are more symbolic than individualized. There was a strong appliqué tradition among many African groups, and these quilts may have been influenced, even if indirectly, by that cultural history. Although anecdotal information has linked Susan Arrowood to the African American community, there is no direct evidence for any such connection.Elizabeth V. Warren, \"Sacret Bibel Quilt Top,\" in Stacy C. Hollander, American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 359.","This quilt top is bursting with stories, and its explosive creativity speaks out from the silences of the documentary archive. Although the maker inscribed her name on the quilt\u2014\u201cSusan Arrowood\u201d\u2014until recently, the textile\u2019s discovery far north of its original home had complicated efforts to connect the artist with a woman of this name. Thanks to the research of two AFAM visitors, the discovery of a newspaper article celebrating Susan Arrowood\u2019s work places this quilter in Atlanta, Georgia at the turn of the twentieth century. In 1903, Arrowood displayed two of her \u201cremarkable\u201d quilts\u2014\u201cpictorial representations of biblical stories\u201d\u2014at an interstate fair.  From the misspellings and uneven handwriting on the quilt\u2019s written labels, it appears that the quilter did not receive much formal education. Still, through this highly imaginative and lively creation, she made an enduring name for herself. Using the \u201cappliqué\u201d technique of cutting out and applying free-form shapes, the quilter illustrated scenes from the Christian Bible, including Adam and Eve, Noah\u2019s Ark, the crucifixion, and the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. Other scenes may be taken from the quilter\u2019s own experience at her local church. These vignettes are peopled with a range of characters with different outfits and poses, vividly capturing a sense of joy in community and religious life.","There is a fervent spontaneity to this quilt top, which stands in great contrast to many late nineteenth-century quilts that are highly symmetrical and tightly controlled. Although there is a clear organization, the collaged paper-doll-like appliqués and handwritten pen-and-ink inscriptions lend a heartfelt intimacy that draws the viewer deep into the spirit of the religious experience. The artist included her own name, and the title of the bedcover is written on a strip of muslin near the bottom edge.The quilt top is bisected by the muddy Jordan River, the river of life, flowing from the canopy of heaven under a celestial starry sky, where Jesus stands with his twelve disciples. The canopy is flanked by two church houses with floral fabric patches that emanate from the rooftops. The imagery is balanced on either side of the river, obeying the words from Revelation, including \u201cTwelve desiples six one ach sid of the river\u201d and two ribbons of linked figures \u201cgoing to the tree of life.\u201d Representations of John the Baptist and Jesus are tucked into a pocket in the river so that they appear to be submerged in water.Stacy C. Hollander, \u201c'Sacret Bibel' Quilt Top,\u201d exhibition label for Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum. Stacy C. Hollander and Valérie Rousseau, curators. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2014.","see https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040&context=aqsg-newsletter for research by Peggy W. Norris","This unusual quilt top is composed of a number of patches, each containing between one and thirteen appliquéd figures. The patches probably were completed first and then sewn onto the background cloth. The depicted scenes appear to have their origins in the Bible, although some may also represent activities at the church the maker attended.Elizabeth V. Warren, \"Sacret Bibel Quilt Top,\" exhibition label from QUILTS: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum. Elizabeth V. Warren, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2010."]},"bibliography":{"label":"Bibliography","value":""},"collections":{"label":"Collections","value":"Textiles"},"geography":{"label":"Geography","value":["West Chester",""]},"id":{"label":"Id","value":"152711"},"geographyState":{"value":["Pennsylvania","Georgia"]},"thesconceptsMaterials":{"label":"Materials","value":["http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster16924","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13024","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13026","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster12319","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971"]},"geographyCountry":{"value":["United States","United States"]},"onview":{"label":"On View","value":"0"},"people":{"label":"Artist / Maker","value":{"displayOrder":"1","personRole":"Artist","personID":"1105","content":"Susan Arrowood"}},"classifications":{"label":"Classification(s)","value":"Textiles"},"textEntries":{"label":"Text Entries","value":["The Susan Arrowood who signed this unusual bedcover is believed to have lived in West Chester, Pennsylvania, at the end of the nineteenth century, but she has proved difficult to locate in either census or church records of the period. The scenes on this quilt top appear to have their origins in the Bible, although some may also represent activities at a church attended by the maker. Crudely written legends identify many of the scenes, and although the figures may at first appear to have been cut out identically like paper dolls, many have been individualized with slightly different dresses and hairstyles. This bedcover has been compared with the two quilts created by the masterful late-nineteenth-century African American quiltmaker Harriet Powers. All three quilts rely, in part, on the Bible for inspiration and include appliquéd scenes as well as figures that are more symbolic than individualized. There was a strong appliqué tradition among many African groups, and these quilts may have been influenced, even if indirectly, by that cultural history. Although anecdotal information has linked Susan Arrowood to the African American community, there is no direct evidence for any such connection.This bedcover has been compared with the two quilts created by the masterful late-nineteenth-century African American quiltmaker Harriet Powers. All three quilts rely, in part, on the Bible for inspiration and include appliquéd scenes as well as figures that are more symbolic than individualized. There was a strong appliqué tradition among many African groups, and these quilts may have been influenced, even if indirectly, by that cultural history. Although anecdotal information has linked Susan Arrowood to the African American community, there is no direct evidence for any such connection.Elizabeth V. Warren, \"Sacret Bibel Quilt Top,\" in Stacy C. Hollander, American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 359.","This quilt top is bursting with stories, and its explosive creativity speaks out from the silences of the documentary archive. Although the maker inscribed her name on the quilt\u2014\u201cSusan Arrowood\u201d\u2014until recently, the textile\u2019s discovery far north of its original home had complicated efforts to connect the artist with a woman of this name. Thanks to the research of two AFAM visitors, the discovery of a newspaper article celebrating Susan Arrowood\u2019s work places this quilter in Atlanta, Georgia at the turn of the twentieth century. In 1903, Arrowood displayed two of her \u201cremarkable\u201d quilts\u2014\u201cpictorial representations of biblical stories\u201d\u2014at an interstate fair.  From the misspellings and uneven handwriting on the quilt\u2019s written labels, it appears that the quilter did not receive much formal education. Still, through this highly imaginative and lively creation, she made an enduring name for herself. Using the \u201cappliqué\u201d technique of cutting out and applying free-form shapes, the quilter illustrated scenes from the Christian Bible, including Adam and Eve, Noah\u2019s Ark, the crucifixion, and the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. Other scenes may be taken from the quilter\u2019s own experience at her local church. These vignettes are peopled with a range of characters with different outfits and poses, vividly capturing a sense of joy in community and religious life.","There is a fervent spontaneity to this quilt top, which stands in great contrast to many late nineteenth-century quilts that are highly symmetrical and tightly controlled. Although there is a clear organization, the collaged paper-doll-like appliqués and handwritten pen-and-ink inscriptions lend a heartfelt intimacy that draws the viewer deep into the spirit of the religious experience. The artist included her own name, and the title of the bedcover is written on a strip of muslin near the bottom edge.The quilt top is bisected by the muddy Jordan River, the river of life, flowing from the canopy of heaven under a celestial starry sky, where Jesus stands with his twelve disciples. The canopy is flanked by two church houses with floral fabric patches that emanate from the rooftops. The imagery is balanced on either side of the river, obeying the words from Revelation, including \u201cTwelve desiples six one ach sid of the river\u201d and two ribbons of linked figures \u201cgoing to the tree of life.\u201d Representations of John the Baptist and Jesus are tucked into a pocket in the river so that they appear to be submerged in water.Stacy C. Hollander, \u201c'Sacret Bibel' Quilt Top,\u201d exhibition label for Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum. Stacy C. Hollander and Valérie Rousseau, curators. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2014.","see https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040&context=aqsg-newsletter for research by Peggy W. Norris","This unusual quilt top is composed of a number of patches, each containing between one and thirteen appliquéd figures. The patches probably were completed first and then sewn onto the background cloth. The depicted scenes appear to have their origins in the Bible, although some may also represent activities at the church the maker attended.Elizabeth V. Warren, \"Sacret Bibel Quilt Top,\" exhibition label from QUILTS: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum. Elizabeth V. Warren, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2010."]},"beginDate":{"label":"Begin Date","value":"1870"},"thesconcepts":{"label":"Terms","value":["http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster16924","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13024","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13026","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster12319","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971"]},"displayDate":{"label":"Date","value":"Late 19th century"},"exhibitions":{"label":"Exhibitions","value":[{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Tuesday, May 13, 2014 - Sunday, August 17, 2014","exhibitionEndISODate":"2014-08-17","exhibitionID":"171","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"2014-05-13","exhibitionBeginDate":"2014","exhibitionTitle":"Self-Taught Genius","exhibitionEndDate":"2014"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Monday, July 16, 2018 - Wednesday, October 3, 2018","exhibitionEndISODate":"2018-10-03","exhibitionID":"226","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"2018-07-16","exhibitionBeginDate":"2018","exhibitionTitle":"Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts","exhibitionEndDate":"2018"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Thursday, March 16, 2023 - Sunday, October 29, 2023","exhibitionEndISODate":"2023-10-29","exhibitionID":"248","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"2023-03-16","exhibitionBeginDate":"2023","exhibitionTitle":"What That Quilt Knows About Me","exhibitionEndDate":"2023"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Saturday, May 4, 1996 - Sunday, September 8, 1996","exhibitionEndISODate":"1996-09-08","exhibitionID":"82","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"1996-05-04","exhibitionBeginDate":"1996","exhibitionTitle":"An American Treasury","exhibitionEndDate":"1996"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Saturday, September 17, 1994 - Sunday, January 15, 1995","exhibitionEndISODate":"1995-01-08","exhibitionID":"300","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"1994-09-17","exhibitionBeginDate":"1994","exhibitionTitle":"Text and Context","exhibitionEndDate":"1995"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Wednesday, July 15, 1987 - Friday, September 4, 1987","exhibitionEndISODate":"1990-06-03","exhibitionID":"57","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"1987-07-15","exhibitionBeginDate":"1987","exhibitionTitle":"Life in the New World","exhibitionEndDate":"1990"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Wednesday, October 28, 1987 - Sunday, January 10, 1988","exhibitionEndISODate":"1988-01-10","exhibitionID":"295","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"1987-10-28","exhibitionBeginDate":"1987","exhibitionTitle":"Homage to the Quilt","exhibitionEndDate":"1988"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - Sunday, August 1, 2004","exhibitionEndISODate":"2004-08-01","exhibitionID":"128","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"2004-02-24","exhibitionBeginDate":"2004","exhibitionTitle":"Talking Quilts","exhibitionEndDate":"2004"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Saturday, February 27, 1993 - Sunday, September 12, 1993","exhibitionEndISODate":"1993-09-12","exhibitionID":"313","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"1993-02-27","exhibitionBeginDate":"1993","exhibitionTitle":"Bob Bishop","exhibitionEndDate":"1993"},{"exhibitionDisplayDate":"Thursday, July 11, 2002 - Sunday, January 5, 2003","exhibitionEndISODate":"2003-01-26","exhibitionID":"73","exhibitionISOBeginDate":"2002-07-11","exhibitionBeginDate":"2002","exhibitionTitle":"American Anthem","exhibitionEndDate":"2003"}]},"thesconceptsObjecttype":{"label":"Object Type","value":["http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster16924","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13016","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13024","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster13026","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster12319","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8973","http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster8971"]},"dimensions":{"label":"Dimensions","value":"88 1/2 x 72 \" (224.8 x 182.9 cm)"},"exhHistory":{"label":"Exhibition History","value":"Interstate Fair, Atlanta, Georgia, 1901Interstate Fair, Atlanta, Georgia, 1903"}}]}