Our de Young Museum is kicking off its new show, Amish Abstractions: Quilts from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown, this Saturday, November 14th, 2009.
It’s hard to believe how old some of these Amish quilts are. Some of them look new, like modern art.
Consider Indiana Puzzle, from 1930. From some angles, especially this one, it looks like a simple pattern of black pinwheels. Click to expand:
But if you change the lighting a bit, you can see horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines. See?
“The Indiana puzzle quilt pattern changes with the angles of view. this effect is lost in a photograph, so I am guessing it has something to do with the fabric, which is a wool twill. I saw it at the Denver Art Museum, but they were equally baffled. Has anyone else seen this and does anyone know how do duplicate it?”
There’s your Indiana Puzzle.
Now, you know better Your Amish Abstractions.
See you there!
Tags: 2009, 2010, Amish Abstractions, brown, collection, de Young, de young museum, Faith, museum, Quilts, Quilts from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown, stephen
