The Pictorial Quilt by Harriet Powers

 

I've admired this Pictorial quilt by Harriet Powers for years.  I started reproducing it several years ago, didn't get very far and have now decided to pick it up again.  Harriet Powers was an African - American slave, folk artist and quilt maker from rural Georgia who stitched this quilt between 1895 and 1898.  Her applique blocks tell biblical and celestial stories in a bold folk art style. Photo is courtesy of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

 

A Pattern book from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts that I had purchased with only line drawings to reproduce the blocks.  I scan the print on my computer and enlarge each block to a size that comes close to the original and approximate the design and layout.

 

 

I'm prepping block three. 

 

 

The descriptive caption from Harriet describes block three as 'the serpent lifted up by Moses and women bringing their children to look upon it to be healed'.

 

 

The first two blocks that I have completed.  Block one depicts 'Job praying for his enemies.  Job's crosses.  Job's coffin.  Block two depicts 'The dark day of May 19, 1780.  The seven stars were seen 12.N. in the day.  The cattle all went to bed, chickens to roost and the trumpet was blown.  The sun went off to a small spot and then to darkness'.