Saturday, October 18, 2014

Abolitionist Image on the Wistar Quilt

"Remember the Slave. Rebecca S. Hart"

This month's block Lancaster Star recalls a Quaker quilt with a printed image of the kneeling slave. (Scroll down to see the September 27th post.)

Another version, this one hand-drawn, is inked on a quilt by Sarah Wistar in the collection of the International Quilt Study Center and Museum.

Wistar Family Tree Quilt, blocks inscribed 1842-1843
IQSC collection #2005.059.0001

The Wistars were a prominent Quaker family in Philadelphia.

Rebecca S. Hart's block may have been
drawn from this image in the Liberator,
a leading abolitionist periodical.


Note that the figure is a woman. This kneeling slave headed the Ladies' Department in the paper during the 1830s.


See the quilt at IQSC's website here:
http://cdn.firespring.com/images/dfa4f802-2c8e-4fa8-8cd1-6a4c6221f01a.jpg

Read more about it at Quaker Quilt History:
http://www.quakerquilthistory.com/2012/10/the-sarah-wistar-quilt.html

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