About this artwork
Anna Mary Robertson Moses, known as “Grandma Moses,” was one of the most popular American artists of the mid-20th century; however, people often know her work only through reproductions, which were marketed through chinaware, greeting cards, wallpaper, and other home goods. Beginning in 1950, Riverdale Drapery Fabrics introduced a line of printed cotton fabrics showcasing some of Moses’s best-known paintings. Williamstown displays her image of a small town in western Massachusetts, not far from her home in Eagle Bridge, New York. Not an exact rendering of the buildings in Williamstown’s center, Moses instead captured a picturesque community nestled quietly among the hills of upstate New York.
Advertisers suggested using these fabrics for upholstery covering, curtains, and cushions; panels of the heavyweight, textured cotton could also be framed like a painted canvas. Moses’s portrayal of an idyllic rural life resonated with American audiences nostalgic for an idealized vision of the nation’s past following World War I. More people could afford such collectables and home goods than her original paintings.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Textiles
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Artists
- Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson Moses) (Designer) , Riverdale Drapery Fabrics (Producer)
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Title
- Williamstown (Furnishing Fabric)
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Places
- United States (Object made in:), New York (Object made in:), New York City (Object made in:)
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Dates
- Made 1942-1962 , Original 1948
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Medium
- Cotton, mixed twill weave; screen printed
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Inscriptions
- Inscriptions (on right selvage): AUTHORIZED GRANDMA MOSES DESIGN FROM THE ORIGINAL PAINTING "WILLIAMSTOWN" COPYRIGHT BY GALERIE ST. ETIENNE, NEW YORK CITY; (on left selvage): A RIVERDALE FABRIC A COLOR TESTED FABRIC reg. applied for U.S. pat. off. BEST OBTAINABLE VAT DYES SHRUNKETIZED average residual shrinkage does not exceed 2% test ccc 7191A
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Dimensions
- 116.7 × 119.3 cm (85 3/8 × 47 in.); Repeat: 48.6 × 56 cm (19 1/8 × 22 1/8 in.)
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Credit Line
- Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz Endowment
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Reference Number
- 1995.182
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
