A Century of Quilts

The Rajah quilt is one of the National Gallery of Australia’s most requested items but it’s rarely on display. “Textiles are incredibly easy to fade,” says the gallery’s Australian art curator Simeran Maxwell. “The structure of The Rajah quilt also means, unfortunately, it’s safest in its box.” The large quilt was made in 1841 by British convict women during their three-month journey to Tasmania on board the convict ship the Rajah. Visitors continue to make bookings to see it, but Maxwell says even displaying it in the study room is a challenge. The tables there are just too small to have it out all at once. “But there’s no point having things we don’t show,” she says. The famous quilt is finally getting another day out in A Century of Quilts. The exhibition presents…

Full story in Art Guide.