Name/Title
Solomon's PuzzleEntry/Object ID
1998.004.012Description
This quilt uses the Soloman's Puzzle design, also known as Drunkard's path or The Rocky Road. It features a two block design, 5'' blocks of lavender print with white. The color is chosen from poem. The color is "purple mountains majesty". There is a Morse code pattern around the edge that translates to the artists name and date of creation. Hand pieced and hand quilted.
There are two pieces in each design, both center squares and sawtooth border. The two's are meant to represent the 200 years of the Nation's history.
The quilting pattern in the border is continuous march of people (represented by seven lines for red stripes in the flag) intertwined and surrounded by vine of plenty, symbol of God's bounty provided in the land. The quilting in the center carries two lines for bicentennial.Context
Lucy Catherine Bowie quilted this in 1977 as a tribute to the bicentennial of the United States. It won best in show at the 1977 National Quilt Show and Best of Bicentennial at the 1981 National Quilt Show. A very representational quilt, the pattern is supposed to represent the rocky road that the United States has traversed to and must continue to traverse. The quilting around the border represents a continuous march of people and the two saw-teethed edges represents the dangers, both internal and external facing the country.Collection
Permanent CollectionAcquisition
Accession
1998.004Source or Donor
Lucy Catherine BowieMade/Created
Artist
Lucy Catherine BowieDate made
1976Inscription/Signature/Marks
Location
Along inside boarderTranscription
Name and Date in Morse CodeCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodNotes
Lavender is fadingOverall Condition
ExcellentNotes
Few spots with some staining and fading of lavendar
