Materials from Patchwork Bedspread c. 1936

Frances Lichten made this study of patchwork bedspread materials, and what catches my eye are the earth tones. I imagine Lichten with her nose close to the textile, making a record of each square. You can see how she’s gone back in to add details to the patterns. The brown floral fabric at the bottom left with the blue and pink blooms, for example, has such a nice sense of depth. You see the artist figuring out how to describe it—how to get that slightly washy look. What a charming study of textiles! I imagine Lichten poring over antique quilts, noting all the different patterns. It reminds me of those old textbooks where they show you different kinds of birds, you know? But here, it’s a compendium of different textile designs. Lichten’s work speaks to the enduring human impulse to create something beautiful out of scraps. The piece celebrates not only the ingenuity but the sheer loveliness that can emerge from the simplest materials.