Quilting Time

Upon Bearden’s death in 1988, the New York Times called him “one of America’s pre-eminent artists.” Bearden experimented with many different media and artistic styles but is best known for his richly textured collages. His work reflects a rich montage of influences and themes including African-American culture, European art, African art, the family, religious ritual, and jazz. Quilting Time is a brightly colored composition depicting two figures in profile, in a domestic setting, engaged in sewing a quilt. Clad in traditional dress from the nineteenth century, the figures may be mother and son. The fabric of the quilt billowing down between and around them in the center of the scene may suggest the emotional forces binding them, as well as, more generally, the connection between generations.