A Century of Quilts

Presenting a rare opportunity to see a historically and artistically significant group of works, A Century of Quilts showcases an often-overlooked art form made almost exclusively by women.

Included in the exhibition is the National Gallery’s most requested work of art: The Rajah Quilt 1841.

The Rajah quilt story is one of hope and persistence and has been a central subject of study into colonial life since its rediscovery in 1987. On its border is a stitched inscription which gives insight into the circumstances of the makers:

'To the ladies of the convict ship committee, this quilt worked by the convicts of the ship Rajah during their voyage to van Dieman’s Land is presented as a testimony of the gratitude with which they remember their exertions for their welfare while in England and during their passage and also as a proof that they have not neglected the ladies kind admonitions of being industrious.'

A Century of Quilts features exceptional examples of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century quilts made using techniques including crazy quilting, hexagonal, log cabin and tumbling block piecing, embroidery and appliqué. The works show the artistic expression found in the domestic sphere and speak to the social context in which the artists lived.

The exhibition also includes key examples of possum skin cloak designs by leading First Nations artists whose work has revitalised this historically important cultural and artistic tradition.

A Century of Quilts continues to build on the National Gallery’s Know My Name initiative which celebrates the work of all women artists with an aim to enhance understanding of their contribution to Australia’s cultural life.

Curator: Simeran Maxwell, Associate Curator, Australian Art