The African Heritage:

Patchwork Quilts, Textiles, Stoneware Pottery, Drum and Houses

Harriet Powers, Bible Quilt, 1886

Harriet Powers, Bible Quilt, 1898

Fon Appliqué Cotton,D.R. Benin,Early 20th.cent.

Appliqué, Altar piece, D.R. Benin, 20th. Cent.

Egungun Ensemble,Cotton, leather, beadsYoruba, Nigeria, 20th cent

Egungun Masquerade in performanceYoruba Nigeria, 20th cent.

Royal Umbrella, Fon, D.R. Benin, 20th. Cent.

Jacob’s Ladder, 1880s(1870-1890)72”x87”, pieced cotton,Quilt, Kentucky

Louisa Combs,Hand woven blanket,Cotton, wool, c. 1890Hazard, Kentucky

Afro-Carolina face-vessel,1860, Glazed pottery,Edgefield District, SC

Akan ritual pottery,Ghana, 19th. Cent.

Creole Cottage, New Orleans, 1820

Bamileke Architecture, Cameroon

Wrought-iron figure,Late 18th cent.

Anonymous Virginia Drum byAn enslaved person, Wood, leather, Virginia, c.1645

Adire, indigo dyed cloth,Yoruba, Nigeria, cotton20th. Cent.

Dave,13th May, 1859,Glazed wheel-thrown pot

African House,1798-1800, Melrose PlantationNatchitouches, Louisiana USA

QuiltsFunctional, aesthetic, symbolic, communicative and or spiritual values:

Doubling/coding/substitution:Biblical symbols/liberation/freedom;

Underground railroad, documentation, symbols and markers

Polyrhythmic motifs, ziz-zag patterns, bright colors conforms to African aesthetic consciousness

Face Vessel, Drum, and Iron figureCommunication, protection—power objects

Duality— African –European dualityForm, aesthetic, and functional aspects constitute the African element

While their technology of production derives from European American tradition