A somewhat similar design, except with a pinwheel (instead of triangles in the center) is titled WINDING WALK in Jinny Beyer's QUILTER'S ALBUM, p. 310-13, first published in the 1901 Ladies Art Company Catalogue, #409. The basic 8-point star in the background is listed by the name, TWO PATCH QUILT. Judy Rehmel's QUILT I.D. BOOK has eight variations on the design (pp. 271-272). This version of FRENCH STAR may be unique to Goldberg's compendium however.

The color scheme here was inspired by a magnificent self-portrait by the great, 19th century French Impressionist, Berthe Morisot (detail illustrated left). Pinned to her jacket, Morisot is wearing an "aster" flower, which of course, literally means "star." She's also wearing a dark scarf, similar to the braided band around the perimeter of the center area of the design — in fact, it is specifically that band which distinguishes all blocks of this type. Thus the pattern seems to fit the painting exceedingly well.

Morisot is dressed in so much gold, she might be the sun god Apollo — see the tiling pattern. Have a look also at her aster flower, close up and in real life, at the Emily Dickinson Nature Mysticism website. More designs at this site with circle or curved elements include:

SNAKE IN THE HOLLOW
    SNAKE'S TRAIL
HANDS ALL AROUND
    MONKEY PUZZLE
SUNSHINE AND STAINED GLASS
    NOCTURNE
MERRY-GO-ROUND

«« Illustration (left): SELF-PORTRAIT (detail, with aster and scarf, dated 1885) by the French Impressionist, Berthe Morisot, from Women Artists at the Easel (1540-1980)