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Patchwork textiles act as a cultural threshold between the past and the present,
with fabric scraps once used for other purposes sewn into something new like this
bed cover. In spite of patchwork’s millennia old history, some cultural historians
worry that it is slowly fading from contemporary memory in China.
Look closely at the intricate pattern. It highlights the care imbued in crafted forms.
Thumbnail-size images of copyrighted artworks are displayed under fair use, in accordance with guidelines recommended by the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts, published by the College Art Association in February 2015.
Bed Cover
Wei Cuilian (Chinese)
Chinese
Late 1960s
Medium/Technique
Chinese Patchwork
Dimensions
Length x width: 96.5 × 139.7 cm (38 × 55 in.)
Credit Line
Joel Alvord and Lisa Schmid Alvord Fund
Accession Number2020.49
CollectionsAsia, Contemporary Art, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsTextiles
Patchwork textiles act as a cultural threshold between the past and the present,
with fabric scraps once used for other purposes sewn into something new like this
bed cover. In spite of patchwork’s millennia old history, some cultural historians
worry that it is slowly fading from contemporary memory in China.
Look closely at the intricate pattern. It highlights the care imbued in crafted forms.
ProvenanceDecember 12, 2019, sold by the artist, Xianyang, Binzhou county, Shaanxi Province to Dr. Nancy Berliner, Cambridge, MA; February 26, 2020, sold by Nancy Berliner to the MFA. (Accession Date: February 26, 2020)