Signature Quilt

Julianna Diehl Fenstermacher

1855 · Cotton · The American Wing

This quilt is made up of six blocks across and six blocks down, surrounded by a border and sashing of red printed pattern on white ground. Each block has a central square of white cotton fabric that is inscribed in black ink with a person’s name underlined with a flourish, all in the same hand. The quilt was likely made by or for Julianna Fenstermacher on the occasion of her marriage to Benneville Fenstermacher. The square that contains Julianna’s name reads in German: "Julianna. Fenstermacher/ her carpet/ 1855." Benneville’s name can be found in the square beside hers. The quilt also includes the names of Julianna’s parents, Hannah and Tobias Diehl, and her brothers and sisters, Dianna Heinrich, Jacob, and Emilie Diehl. This quilt demonstrates the bright colors and sentimental traditions popular with German-speaking immigrant communities in Pennsylvania.

Artist

Julianna Diehl Fenstermacher

Date

1855

Medium

Cotton

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Gordon H. Frey, 2015