The brilliant design on this striking scarf recreates Housetop and Bricklayer with Bars (ca. 1955), a pattern by Gee's Bend quilter Lucy T. Pettway (American, 1921–2004).
The extraordinary craftswomen of Gee's Bend, Alabama, have nurtured the art of quilting since the 19th century. Women enslaved on the cotton plantation established by Gee in 1816 initiated the practice out of necessity for warmth, and it burgeoned into a tradition passed down through the generations. Astonishing in their originality, each abstract quilt interweaves history and narrative, resourcefulness and innovation.
© 2021 Estate of Lucy T. Pettway / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- Composition: 85% modal/15% silk
- Dimensions:50'' x 38''
- Care: Dry clean