Bedcover (Quilt Top) after 1850

This cotton bedcover was stitched in the late 19th or early 20th century by Susan (Mumma) Major. The prominent floral motifs speak to a broader human impulse to find order and beauty in the natural world. Notice the stylized flowers arranged in symmetrical, mandala-like patterns. These designs reflect an ancient fascination with floral symbolism. The central rosette and surrounding blossoms carry echoes of ancient sun symbols, representing life, vitality, and the cyclical nature of existence. Consider how this motif has travelled through time. Similar floral arrangements appear in ancient Roman mosaics and Renaissance tapestries, each time adapted to new cultural contexts. The emotional resonance of flowers remains constant, tapping into our collective memory of growth, renewal, and the transient beauty of life. The quilt provides both comfort and visual delight, engaging viewers with the archetypal power of floral symbols. This reinforces the cyclical progression of symbols that resurface, evolve, and assume new meanings in different historical contexts.