Quilt 1935 - 1942

Charlotte Angus made this quilt, and like all quilts, it is made from scraps of fabric. Looking at the quilt, the design elements appear to be cut from fabric and sewn to the top surface, in a technique known as applique. The quilt is assembled from blocks, like a tile mosaic, each one showcasing a unique motif. Now, quilting is fascinating from a material point of view, because it can be done with little or no resources. A quilt can be a repository for treasured cloth—fragments of old clothes, curtains, or even handkerchiefs. But beyond that, the process itself holds meaning. The labor is enormous, demanding countless hours of patient cutting and stitching. This investment suggests not just practicality, but a deeper connection to place, family, and history. In that light, this quilt prompts us to consider the place of 'women’s work' in the broader history of art. It challenges the traditional hierarchy, which separates textiles and other forms of domestic craft from more celebrated fine arts like painting and sculpture.