Flowers, 1853
Cottons
Probably Ohio
91 x 91 in.
Collection of Eleanor Bingham Miller L2010.42.24

"M.J.O.", the quilter who initialed this example, designed her quilt to be appreciated both at a distance and at close range. From a distance, her diagonal arrangement of appliquéd flowers and foliage moves the eye from corner to corner. Close inspection reveals a rich array of quilted imagery arranged across a textured surface. The quilted décor drew on the popular visual vocabulary of the period. Similar ornamental subjects could be found on everything from painted furniture to glass flasks.