Historic Rajah quilt to headline National Gallery exhibition A Century of Quilts

A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia offers visitors a rare chance to view one of the country’s most important textiles and the Gallery’s most requested work, The Rajah quilt.

Opening 16 March, A Century of Quilts provides a unique opportunity to see a special collection of National Gallery textiles which showcases the imaginative artistic expression of women from 1840 to 1940. The exhibition features 22 works, demonstrating the creativity and innovation of techniques in Australian quilt making, as well as the ingenuity of their makers, many of whom endured financial hardships, geographic isolation, or poor health.

National Gallery Curator, Australian Art Simeran Maxwell said the works highlight an art form often overlooked, both historically and in a contemporary context.

‘Quilts and textile art are not just stitched fabric, they are woven narratives that tell the tales of cultures, emotions, and shared human experiences. In the intricate patterns and vibrant hues, we find a language that transcends time, connecting generations and communities,’ Maxwell said.

‘Several works in this exhibition stand as a testament to the unrecognised communal work of women, who often came together to create works to be passed down generations and act as touch stones of remembrance. Enduring the harshness of time, these works weave a tangible link to this country’s early societies and the women who made them.’

As part of A Century of Quilts, the national collection’s most requested work The Rajah quilt will return to the gallery’s displays after a lengthy period resting in storage. Made from around 3000 pieces in 400 different fabrics, The Rajah quilt was handstitched by women prisoners on The Rajah, a British convict ship bound for Australia in 1841, and is the only known surviving convict shipboard quilt.

‘The circumstances in which The Rajah quilt was made, as well as the wonderful condition that it remains in still today, makes it both historically important as well as an extraordinary work of art,’ Maxwell said.

‘The Rajah quilt is a pieced-medallion style quilt, hand stitched from over 16 metres of fabric by, in many cases, inexperienced sewers under exceptional conditions. The enormous size, age and also fabrics used has left the textile in a particularly fragile state. It is for this reason the National Gallery restricts the amount of time it is on display.’

The Rajah quilt is a story of perseverance and hope, this precious work has been the consistent subject of study into colonial life since its rediscovery in 1987. An inscription along the border of the work reveals the circumstances in which the creators were placed under:

‘To the ladies of the convict ship committee, this quilt worked by the convicts of the ship Rajah during their voyage to van Dieman’s Land is presented as a testimony of the gratitude with which they remember their exertions for their welfare while in England and during their passage and also as a proof that they have not neglected the ladies kind admonitions of being industrious.’

National Gallery Deputy Director, Adam Lindsay, said ‘this remarkable quilt provides us with a tangible link to this country’s 19th Century colonial history and the women who, despite very challenging conditions, worked together to create beauty. The Rajah quilt is an historical treasure and a highlight of the national collection, which belongs to all Australians.’

A Century of Quilts will also feature works by First Nations artists, illustrating the cultural diversity of quilting in Australia. Maxwell said ‘a contemporary possum skin cloak and cloak designs have been included in the exhibition. Historical examples are incredibly rare, and audiences will be able to consider these more recent works in the context of Australian quilt history as they demonstrate renewal of tradition and bring new understanding to the variety of practise in quilt making’. This exhibition continues to build on the National Gallery’s Know My Name initiative which celebrates the work of all women artists, highlighting their contribution to Australian cultural life.

A Century of Quilts is free to visit and on display in the National Gallery in Kamberri/Canberra from 16 Mar to 25 Aug 2024.

Curator: Simeran Maxwell, Curator, Australian Art

IMAGES available here

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