The Rich Heritage of Baltimore Album Quilts

Guest Author - Tamara Bostwick

As humans, we have basic biological needs - food, water, shelter. From a survival standpoint, art serves no purpose. The development of art is indicative of the evolution of society. As organized societies became better able to provide for their basic needs, the increased availability of leisure time allowed individuals the time to express themselves aesthetically. Quilts have evolved over the generations much the same way - women with leisure time on their hands are able to dedicate time to intricate patterns. Quilts are especially interesting to study because they are almost exclusively made by women and can give us insight into the lives of women of various time periods and social standing.

Baltimore Album Quilts were created in Baltimore, Maryland between 1845 and 1855 and were executed in stunningly detailed applique. They were made up of a number of blocks appliqued with various floral and foliate motifs using tiny pieces such as baskets, stylized flowers, or cornucopias. You can view an excellent example made in 1845 here that is displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Because they were often made as gifts and not for general use, a relatively large number of well preserved quilts managed to survive for us to enjoy today.

While these quilts are undeniably beautiful and have provided inspiration for modern quiltmakers, there is also a social and historical context which is important as well. According to a lecture given in 1995 by Jennifer Goldsborough, the Chief Curator of the Maryland Historical Society, the motifs on these quilts represented social, religious, or political organizations that existed in Baltimore at the time such as the masonic organizations or the methodist church as well as many others. And, surprisingly, many of the quilts were made for men and illustrated with masculine motifs. (Baltimore Album Quilt Lecture March 16, Washington, D.C., Library of Congress: doc. 95-016)

The demographic population of Baltimore may have also played a role in the development of the style since there were a number of women of German descent and it has been suggested that German folk art may have provided inspiration for the motifs used in Baltimore Album Quilts ("The Assimilation Of German Folk Designs On Maryland Quilts," Antiques No. 149, (1996): 304-13).

Baltimore was the third largest city in the United States in 1850 and was a busy seaport with a thriving import and export trade which included textiles. The availability of an assortment of fabric and the existence of a group of high society women with time and money allowed them the freedom to create these beautiful works of art.

As you can see, the Baltimore Album Quilts have as complex a history as they are complicated in design themselves. So, the next time you see a Baltimore Album Quilt in a museum or a modern derivative, reflect on the history behind these quilts and try to imagine yourself as a wealthy woman in Baltimore in the mid 1850s. I think that you may look at them a little differently than you did before. I know that I do.