Woman’s Rights Quilt

ca. 1875
Not on view
This unique pictorial quilt tells two distinct stories. Three of the circular appliquéd vignettes depict soldiers who fought in the American Civil War, assuredly still a fresh memory when the quilt was made. Three other blocks feature dynamic scenes of social activism in the fight for women’s rights. In one vignette, the reformer leaves her husband and child, a “WOMAN’S RIGHTS” banner slung jauntily over her shoulder. In another she is driving a horse-drawn cart, undoubtedly going to the meeting depicted in a third circle, where she vociferously lectures the cowering audience. The quiltmaker’s comical take on one of the most serious issues of the late nineteenth century raises the question of her own viewpoint on the subject.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Woman’s Rights Quilt
  • Artist: Emma Civey Stahl (American)
  • Date: ca. 1875
  • Geography: Made in Illinois, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Cotton
  • Dimensions: 70 × 69 1/2 in. (177.8 × 176.5 cm)
  • Credit Line: Funds from various donors, 2011
  • Object Number: 2011.538
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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