Textile Fragment

Name/Title

Textile Fragment

Entry/Object ID

2004.63.5

Description

A fabric swath that replicates a painting by Grandma Moses entitled Early Springtime. Some online sources describe this as barkcloth that could have been framed, used for pillows or upholstery. the scene is a rural farm in the northeast with melting snow, geese, cows, horse-drawn wagon full of people.

Context

About the artist from https://americanart.si.edu/artist/grandma-moses-5826 "Anna Mary Robertson Moses grew up on a farm in upstate New York, where she worked as a hired girl, helping neighbors and relatives with cleaning, cooking, and sewing. Her father encouraged her to draw on old newsprint, and she used berry and grape juices to brighten her images. She married when she was twenty-seven and moved to a farm in Virginia, where she raised five children. Grandma Moses did not start painting until she was seventy-seven years old and looking for something to do “to keep busy and out of mischief” after her husband died. She painted nostalgic scenes of American life and sold them at country fairs alongside her prize-winning pickles. In 1939 a collector saw her paintings in the window of the local pharmacy and bought them all. Soon after, Hallmark purchased the rights to reproduce her paintings on greeting cards and the name Grandma Moses became known across the country. She died at 101, after painting more than fifteen hundred images." The edge of the cloth says it is "an authorized Grandma Moses Fabric based upon the original painting, "Early Springtime on the Farm," copyright Grandma Moses Properties Inc." Here is an explanation of Grandma Moses Properties Inc. from https://www.gseart.com/artist/anna-mary-robertson-grandma-moses/properties "The Galerie St. Etienne mounted Grandma Moses's first solo exhibition in 1940 and represented her for the remainder of her life. Since the artist's death in 1961, we have represented her estate. In 1951, the gallery established a separate legal entity, Grandma Moses Properties Co., to register and administer the copyrights and trademarks in Moses's work. As sister-organizations, the Galerie St. Etienne and Grandma Moses Properties share premises and staff. We provide a variety of services specific to the artist: ● Process reproduction requests ranging from one-time editorial use to large-scale commercial licenses ● Maintain a comprehensive image database and confidential owner registry ● Assist museums and other nonprofits in curating Grandma Moses exhibitions and locating loans In 1973, the Galerie St. Etienne’s founder, Otto Kallir, published the Grandma Moses catalogue raisonné. We provide opinions regarding the authenticity of works attributed to the artist but not included in that book. The contact information for Grandma Moses Properties Co. is the same as that for the Galerie St. Etienne."

Acquisition

Accession

2004.63

Source or Donor

Dopp, Sarah L.

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Riverdale Fabric Co.

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Box

Nomenclature Class

Containers

Nomenclature Category

Category 07: Distribution & Transportation Objects

Dimensions

Width

49 in

Length

17-1/2 in

Material

Cotton

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Grandma Moses

Related Places

Place

State/Province

New York

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America