"ORPHISM" 1913
by Sonia Delaunay |
Quilt Notes:
The expected name would be SUNSHINE AND SHADOW — there are a number of quilt designs so called, but a surprise here, SUNSHINE AND STAINED GLASS, adding more color to the naming, and maybe more Cubism too. The pattern appears in Maggie Malone's 5,500 QUILT BLOCK DESIGNS (#3504): it does not seem to be included in any of the other major compendiums.
The pictorial idea here has a vague parallel to Sonia Delaunay's ORPHISM, 1913 (illustrated left), beautifully stained and partitioned, and inspiring the color combinations for the illustrations above and below. Orphism is a form of Cubism, but with bright contrasting colors, instead of the monochromatic rendering used by well-known Cubists in Delaunay's time. A marvelous (must see) online exhibition of Delaunay's artwork (a number of them reminiscent of quilt designs) available here. See ON THE SQUARE and STAR LANE for more designs at this site inspired by Delaunay's "Orphic" color combinations. For another split circle block, compare with MERRY-GO-ROUND.
Interesting to compare this pattern with some of the more unique designs in Maggie Malone's 5,500. Most of her blocks are attributed to sources going back a long way, similar to Jinny Beyer or Barbara Brackman's collections. The following blocks, however, seem to be unique to Malone's publications. Notice the beauty of the names in relation to the designs, outstanding !!
CATCH AS YOU CAN
ACROBATS
ARRANGEMENT OF SMALL PIECES
TO MARKET, TO MARKET
VORTEX
and COBWEBS
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SUNSHINE AND STAINED GLASS
