Rugs to Riches: Treasured Textiles from the Permanent Collection
March 3 - April 1, 2012
Switzer Gallery
In the almost 60 years of the Museum’s existence, a wide range of beautiful textiles have been given to the Museum by generous donors forming a substantial “collection within a collection.”
Some of these works have become well known to our visitors over the years, including the Near Eastern Prayer rugs on view in the Touma Gallery, George Washington’s Cherry Tree quilt, and the large French Tapestry which depicts the goddess Diana returning from the hunt. However, these are just a few of the riches within the collection. Because of the fragile nature of textiles (they are highly susceptible to the fading effects of overexposure to light), many of these works rarely go on display.
From Rugs to Riches: Treasured Textiles from the Permanent Collection displays a wide variety of textiles from all over the world including French tapestries; Near Eastern Prayer Rugs; American quilts, coverlets and hooked rugs; Chinese and Japanese robes; Native American beaded items; Pre-Columbian Peruvian weavings and bags; paisley shawls and tie-dyed fabric from India; and French and American bags from the 1920s.
This exhibit is sponsored by The Herald-Dispatch, West Virginia Division of Culture and History; the West Virginia Commission on the Arts; and the Isabelle Gwynn and Robert Daine Exhibitions Endowment.
