ticketsMember | Make a donation

Quilt, Eagle pattern

ca. 1837–50
Not on view
After the Great Seal of the United States was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1782, the image of the American eagle became an extremely popular design element, used to adorn all types of late-eighteenth- and early-nineteenth-century decorative art objects. The eagle motif was employed with great sophistication by the cabinetmakers of Federal America; however, its appearance on handmade quilts is often whimsical.

Although many Eagle quilts were made at the time of the nation's Centennial in 1876, the Museum's Eagle quilt, which unfortunately came to us with no provenance, is thought to have been made a few decades earlier. The quilt features a large single eagle at its center with twenty-six stars above the eagle's head. The number of stars may provide a significant clue to the date of the quilt. In 1837, Michigan was admitted to the Union as the twenty-sixth state, and since national events were often commemorated by quiltmakers, this piece may well have been made in celebration of that event. The printed cottons pieced and appliquéd into the quilt also appear to date from the 1830s and 1840s. The blue and white stripe in the zigzag border is particularly distinctive; it could be an American attempt to emulate the English rainbow prints so popular during those years.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Quilt, Eagle pattern
  • Date: ca. 1837–50
  • Geography: Possibly made in New England, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Cotton
  • Dimensions: 103 x 97 in. (261.6 x 246.4 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Jacob Kaplan, 1974
  • Object Number: 1974.32
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Wholecloth whitework quilt, J. Wright American, Quilted cotton, American
Wholecloth whitework quilt
J. Wright
ca. 1815
Floral Applique Quilt, Emeline Travis Ludington American, Cotton, American
Floral Applique Quilt
Emeline Travis Ludington
ca. 1850
Quilt, Tumbling Blocks with Signatures pattern, Adeline Harris Sears American, Silk, American
Quilt, Tumbling Blocks with Signatures pattern
Adeline Harris Sears
begun 1856
Burgoyne Surrenders or Burgoyne Surrounded Quilt, Martha A. Page, Cotton, American
Burgoyne Surrenders or Burgoyne Surrounded Quilt
Martha A. Page
1852
Quilt, Crazy pattern, Aletta Whitehouse Davis American, Silk, silk velvet, cotton, and chenille, American
Quilt, Crazy pattern
Aletta Whitehouse Davis
ca. 1885

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.