Branches and Vines Quilt

Ernestine Eberhardt Zaumseil

ca. 1875 · Cotton, silk, and wool · The American Wing

Working in the later years of the nineteenth century, Ernestine Zaumseil created this extraordinary quilt employing the Tree of Life pattern, a design that has been popular for use on bedcovers since the seventeenth century. The first Tree of Life bedcovers, called “palampores”, were of Indian origin and featured a stylized tree bearing fantastical fruits and flowers. An Indian palampore makes up the central panel of quilt 2014.263 in the American Wing's collection. In Zaumseil’s quilt, the trees and branches are much more realistic, in part because she seems to have traced leaves from actual trees and vines to serve as patterns for her appliquéd designs.

Artist

Ernestine Eberhardt Zaumseil

Date

ca. 1875

Medium

Cotton, silk, and wool

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of George E. Schoellkopf, 2013