Quilt

Textiles

c. 1930

Made by Charlotte “Belle” Evans Wright (American, 1864–1941), Irma Dell Wright (American, 1889–1960) and Ralph Winslow Wright (American, 1891/2–1954?)
After works by Eanger Irving Couse (American, 1866-1936), Georgiana Brown Harbeson (American 1894-1980), Winold Reiss (American, born Germany, 1886–1953), and Cyrus Edwin Dallin (American, 1861-1934)
United States, Illinois, Wenona

In this quilt, a mother and her children used embroidery to refashion images of Native American life and culture from popular media such as calendars and advertisements. To see examples of the objects referenced in the quilt, including a war bonnet (1038.1977), ceremonial headdress (98.2009), and painted tipi curtain (22.2003), visit the Indian Art of the Americas galleries.
—Making Memories: Quilts as Souvenirs, October 20, 2017-April 1, 2018

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Textiles

Artist: Belle Wright (Maker)
Title: Quilt
Place: Illinois (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: Made 1925–1935
Medium: Pieced and embroidered quilt; dyed and undyed cotton satin and plain weave fabrics; cotton embroidery threads
Inscriptions: Inscriptions (left to right): POCAHANTAS 1612 VIRGINIA / COMMUNING WITH THE SPIRIT / MINNEHAHA / THE WOOING / Chief Mike Little Dog / The Lovers' Knot / The Blanket / Grinding Corn / Miss Spokane / The Kachina Dolls / LEWIS & CLARK EXPEDITION 1804 SACAJAWEA
Dimensions: 261.8 × 216 cm (103 1/8 × 85 in.)
Credit Line: Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. David W. Grainger
Reference Number: 1999.510

Quilt Engagement Calendar (New York: E.P. Dutton, 1990), no. 57.
Judith A. Barter, Window on the West: Chicago and the Art of the New Frontier 1890–1940, exh. cat. (Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago; New York and Manchester, VT: Hudson Hills Press, 2003), 73, fig. 36.

Nashville, TN, Heart of Country, A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words: Pictorial Imagery in American Quilts, Feb., 1993.
Houston, TX, International Quilt Festival, America Collects Quilts, Nov. 3-6, 1994.
Paducah, KY, Museum of the American Quilter’s Society, Antique Quilts from the Shelly Zegart Collection, Apr. 4-July 18, 1998.
Art Institute of Chicago, American Arts Department, Gallery 263, Window on the West, June 10–Oct. 16, 2003.
Art Institute of Chicago, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, An International Collection of Appliquéd, Embroidered and Pieced Bedcoverings, Feb. 28–May 28, 2001.
Art Institute of Chicago, Making Memories: Quilts as Souvenirs, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, Oct. 20, 2017-Apr. 1, 2018.

Shelly Zegart, Louisville, KY, by June 14, 1999 [invoice, June 14, 1999; copy in curatorial object file]; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1999.

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.

Suggested Terms

Currently Off View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Artist

Title

Place

Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Medium

Inscriptions

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

Extended information about this artwork

Publication History

Exhibition History

Provenance

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share