1829 Show Towel
1935-1942
Frances Lichten's meticulous watercolor captures a beautifully preserved 19th-century 'show towel,' a decorative textile young women created to display their needlework prowess. The top half bursts with red and green cross-stitched floral motifs, stars, and the name 'Magdalena Gross' alongside the date 1829, while the bottom half cascades into intricate white drawnwork lace with a delicate fringe. Lichten, working during the 1930s and 40s, was famous for documenting American folk art with stunning precision, essentially preserving these fragile historical treasures on paper before they could fade away.
- Technique
- Watercolor