Quilt - Tulip Pattern c. 1941

This is Alice Cosgrove's Tulip Pattern Quilt made from textile. The quilt is dominated by the image of the tulip, a symbol of love, care, and attachment. Tulips have long been associated with notions of domesticity and the natural world, blossoming in Ottoman textiles and Dutch still life paintings. The motif of the tulip is not new; indeed, its roots run deep. Recall the tulip’s role in 17th-century Dutch paintings, where their vibrant colors and delicate forms captured the collective imagination, becoming symbols of prosperity and the fleeting nature of beauty. Here, the tulip's presence is softer and more subtle. The very act of quilting—the careful stitching together of fabric—is a powerful gesture of comfort and personal connection. This quilt is more than a mere bed covering; it's an echo, a faint reminder of the deeply rooted human desire to create beauty and order. The tulip, like an ancient symbol, has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings.