Cherry quilt 1859

Mary Ellen Jones crafted this quilt, now at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, using fabric to explore geometric and organic forms. The eye is immediately drawn to the grid-like arrangement of the cherry motif. Each block features a square outlined in red, connected to vine-like extensions detailed with green leaves and red berries against an off-white background. The quilt's structure echoes the formalist ideals of reducing objects to their basic shapes. Jones uses the contrast between the sharp, geometric squares and the curved, organic vines to destabilize the clear distinction between nature and artifice. The pattern, repeated uniformly across the quilt, reflects a semiotic system where each element is a sign, contributing to an overall message of unity and balance. Yet, this rigid structure is softened by the handmade quality of the quilt, a testament to the artist's craft. The quilt uses simple shapes to convey a sense of harmony and order. Its handmade nature challenges conventional notions of high art by embedding artistic expression within domestic craft.