Star Variation Quilt

Textiles

1831

Patched and quilted by Margaret Blean Work (American, 1811-1887)
Possibly Newville, Pennsylvania, United States

This bedcover is attributed to Margaret Blean, the daughter of Robert Blean (1770–1848) and Mary Craig (1770–1833). She was born in Newville, Pennsylvania, and married John Work (1807–1899) in 1837; the couple lived in Illinois. This piece was probably made for her hope or dowry chest. The donor of the bedcover, Mary Work (1846–1932), was the daughter of the maker.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Textiles

Artist: Margaret Blean
Title: Star Variation Quilt
Place: Pennsylvania (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 1831
Medium: Cotton, plain weave and plain weaves; printed; pieced; edged with cotton, plain weave; backed with cotton, plain weaves; pieced; cotton batting; quilted
Inscriptions: Inscription: Margaret Blean, 1831
Dimensions: 263.5 × 228.3 cm (103 3/4 × 89 7/8 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Mary Work
Reference Number: 1919.825
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/76706/manifest.json

Mildred Davison, American Quilts-1819-1948-From the Museum Collection, exh. cat. (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1959), cat. 7.
Mildred Davison, American Quilts from the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1966), cat. 7, (ill.).

Art Institute of Chicago, American Quilts-1819-1948-From the Museum Collection, Apr. 20, 1959-Oct. 19, 1959.
Art Institute of Chicago, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, Fabric of a New Nation: American Needlework and Textiles, 1776-1840, Dec. 16, 2011-June 3, 2012; extended: July 12-Nov. 11, 2012.

The artist (1811-1887; born Margaret Blean; later Margaret Work), Newville, PA, then Wenona, IL [Day Book 9, 87; Institutional Archives]; by descent to her daughter, Mary Work, Wenona, IL; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1919.

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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.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.