Coverlet 1854

This coverlet was woven in 1854 by Ira Hadsell in Palmyra, New York. Dominating the composition is the American eagle, clutching arrows and an olive branch, a symbol adopted from ancient Rome, representing war and peace. This emblem, along with the motto "E Pluribus Unum," asserts the burgeoning identity of the American nation. The image of Liberty, encircled with stars, echoes classical representations of female allegories, a motif traceable back to ancient Greece. We see its reincarnation in French revolutionary imagery, embodying ideals of freedom. Note how the eagle itself, derived from Roman imperial iconography, undergoes a metamorphosis, mirroring the transformations of power and ideology across continents and eras. The coverlet doesn't merely depict symbols; it weaves them into a complex pattern of collective memory, revealing how images migrate, adapt, and are imbued with new meaning, engaging us on a subconscious level.