Pillow Top Insert 1935 - 1942

This curious object is called Pillow Top Insert, by Henry Murphy. We don't know exactly when it was made, or where. It's made of fabric, stitched together to form a little scene. The color palette is muted, almost faded, but there's a vibrancy in the way the materials are combined. The texture of the fabrics creates a tactile experience, like running your fingers over the surface. Look at the figure's patterned pants. Those small shapes feel so immediate, so alive. It makes you think about the artist's hands, carefully choosing and placing each piece of fabric. The brown border around the central image really frames the figure, drawing your eye to the intimate world inside. I'm reminded of the work of the Gee's Bend quilters, women using found materials to create powerful and personal narratives through abstraction. Pillow Top Insert isn’t just a picture; it's a process, a journey, a story told in color and texture.