A late 18th-century French fenêtre quilt. Woodblock-printed chintz face with penciled highlights, framed by a sulphur-yellow quilted border; ochre pencil-stripe reverse. c.1780–1790.
A vibrant and beautifully balanced late 18th-century French fenêtrequilt, built from three coordinated textile elements. The centre field is a fine, airy woodblock-printed cotton chintz of trailing botanical vines, roses and cornflowers in madder pinks and purples with deep indigo, the petals and leaves finished with penciled (hand-painted) highlights, set on an off white ground.
This is framed by a wide, solid sulphur-yellow border, worked in trapunto: a rhythmic pattern of stylised leaves and floral garlands stitched down its centre and padded from behind for a raised, sculptural relief, flanked by dense parallel stitched lines. Surviving yellow vegetable dyes this bright, rather than the muddy brown they usually fade to after 240 years, are genuinely uncommon in French indienne quilting of this period.
The reverse is a crisp, well-preserved ochre-yellow and white pencil-stripe block-printed calico, coordinated with the yellow border so the quilt can be turned back for a tailored, reversible look.
The quilt is in excellent antique condition, with stable seams and borders and unusually vibrant dye retention throughout the diamond-lattice and border quilting.
Just as described. Beautiful easy to follow chart. Just one of many I have purchased from this seller. Comes well packaged. Very happy with all the charts I have received. Top seller. Thank you
