Quilt fragment

ca. 1835

Fragment of a cotton quilt printed in a chintz pattern that has a curving flower arrangement in deep colors of red, blue, orange and green (achieved by printing yellow and blue). Two delicate lace-like bands with S-curves follow the line of the flowers on either side. Background is printed with fine curlicues. A wooden cylinder carved in a relief pattern was used to print the large areas of color while an engraved copper cylinder was used to apply the delicate linear elements in a double process known as mule printing.