Floral Motifs on Early Chintz
Passiflora sp. - Passion Flower
Passiflora incarnata (Purple Passion Flower) photo by DAVID S. FERRY III from PLANT CITY,FL., U.S.A. / CC0 Public Domain
Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) from Private Collection, Peacock, Peahen, and Chicks Fabric Fragment, c. 1825
Passiflora alato-caerulea (Passion Flower hybrid) from Sydenham T. Edwards, Botanical Register, vol. 10: plate 848, 1824
Common Names: Passion Flower
Description: Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) is a member of the Passion Flower Family (Passifloraceae). The Hortus Kewensis, ed. 2, vol. 4 recorded twenty-eight species of Passion Flower native to the West Indies, Jamaica, Bahamas, Vera Cruz, Mexico, Brazil, Martinique, Curassao, Cayenne, New Calidonia & Norfolk Island, Virginia, and America. Today we recognize around 550 species, mainly from tropical regions of the new world, but with a few species from Asia, the United States, and Oceania. The large number of species and artistic license tends to make most illustrations of passion flowers on textiles extremely difficult to recognize as specific species. Winged-stem passion flowers and blue passion flowers are somewhat easier to recognize and a few examples can be tentatively identified as red passion flowers or a similar species. In a few cases highly stylized examples are even difficult to recognize as passion flowers. This webpage lists and in several cases provides illustrations of examples that can be clearly recognized by most as passion flowers, but can't be identified further.
Quilts with the Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif illustrated above:
Printed cottons with the Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif illustrated above:
Description: Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) is a member of the Passion Flower Family (Passifloraceae). The Hortus Kewensis, ed. 2, vol. 4 recorded twenty-eight species of Passion Flower native to the West Indies, Jamaica, Bahamas, Vera Cruz, Mexico, Brazil, Martinique, Curassao, Cayenne, New Calidonia & Norfolk Island, Virginia, and America. Today we recognize around 550 species, mainly from tropical regions of the new world, but with a few species from Asia, the United States, and Oceania. The large number of species and artistic license tends to make most illustrations of passion flowers on textiles extremely difficult to recognize as specific species. Winged-stem passion flowers and blue passion flowers are somewhat easier to recognize and a few examples can be tentatively identified as red passion flowers or a similar species. In a few cases highly stylized examples are even difficult to recognize as passion flowers. This webpage lists and in several cases provides illustrations of examples that can be clearly recognized by most as passion flowers, but can't be identified further.
Quilts with the Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif illustrated above:
- Patricia S. Smith Collection, National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Whole-cloth Bedcover, Calico & Chintz: Antique Quilts From the Collection of Patricia S. Smith, p. 95, c1825-1835
- Private Collection of Catherine Janet Strauss, Tree of Life Design Cutout Chintz Applique Quilt, Northern Comfort: New England's Early Quilts, 1780-1850, p. 31, c. 1820
Printed cottons with the Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif illustrated above:
- Private Collection, Peacock, Peahen, and Chicks Fabric Fragment, c. 1825
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Printed Textile, Object Numbers 1979.0058.020 A, 1979.0058.020 B, 1979.0058.020 C, 1969.3362, 1969.3805.001, 1969.3805.002, 1969.3805.003, 1969.3805.004, 1969.3805.005, 1969.8229.001, 1969.8229.002,1969.8229.003, 1969.8229.004, 1969.8229.005, 1969.8229.006, 1969.8229.007, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 303, 1820s
Additional Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) Motifs
Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) from the Victoria & Albert Museum, Furnishing Fabric, made 1831
Printed cottons with this Passiflora (Passion Flower) motif:
- Victoria & Albert Museum, Furnishing Fabric, Object Number CIRC.292-1956, made 1831
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Printed Textile Printed by John Potts, Object Number 1959.0084.056, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 138, 1826-1836
Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) from the Victoria & Albert Museum, Furnishing Fabric Made by Talwin & Foster, made 1760
Printed cottons with this Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif:
- Victoria & Albert Museum, Furnishing Fabric Made by Talwin & Foster, Object Number Circ.92-1960, made 1760
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Printed Textile from Bromley Hall Print Works, Object Numbers 1969.3235, 1969.3888.001, 1969.3888.002, 1969.3888.003, 1969.3888.004, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 213, 1775-1785
Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) from the Private Collection, Empire Linen-Cotton Floral Textile with Passion Flowers, early 19th century
Printed cotton/ linen with this Passiflora sp. Stylized (Stylized Passion Flower) motif:
- Private Collection, Empire Linen-Cotton Floral Textile with Passion Flowers, early 19th century
Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) from the Private Collection, Fabric Fragment with Bouquet Including Hellebore, Passion Flower, and Roses in a Handled Urn, no date
Printed cotton with this Passiflora sp. Stylized (Stylized Passion Flower) motif:
- Private Collection, Fabric Fragment with Bouquet Including Hellebore, Passion Flower, and Roses in a Handled Urn, no date
- International Quilt Museum, Fabric Swatches, Object Numbers 2008.040.0330 and 2008.040.0448, no date
Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) from the Private Collection of Kaye England, Unnamed Quilt with Passion Flower Border, no date
Quilt with the Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif:
- Private Collection of Kaye England, Unnamed Quilt with Passion Flower Border, no date
More Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) Motifs
(No pictures available at this time)
(No pictures available at this time)
Quilts, these two with the same Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif:
Printed cottons each with a different Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif:
- Private Collection of Catherine Janet Strauss, Chintz Quilt with Scroll Border Probably Made by Eleanora Roche, A Maryland Album: Quiltmaking Traditions, 1634-1934, p. 55, c. 1840
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, Appliqued & Stuffed Quilt Made by Tamzin Janney, Object Number 123978, Quilts of Virginia: 1607-1899, p. 48, c. 1830
Quilts each with a different Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif:
- Private Collection of John L. Lutz, Eight Pointed Star Quilt, New Jersey Quilts: 1777 to 1850, p. 65, 1830-1840
- Philadelphia Museum of Art, Mary Firth Bedcover, Object Number 1962-44-1, The Fine Art of Textiles: The Collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, p. 94, 1825-1830
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Wholecloth Quilt , Object Number 1969.3901, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 238, c 1795
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Sophia Myers Pierce Quilt , Object Number 1996.0011, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 358, 1820s-1830s
- Poos Collection, Elizabeth Capes Tulips and Peonies Quilt, Chintz Quilts from the Poos Collection, p.90, c.1810
Printed cottons each with a different Passiflora sp. (Passion Flower) motif:
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Printed Textile, Object Numbers 1958.0070.001 & 1969.4600, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 297, c 1825
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Printed Textile, Object Numbers 1959.0081.002.001, 1959.0081.002.002, 1959.0081.002.003, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, p. 305, 1850s-1860s
- Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Printed Textile, Object Numbers 1969.3128.001, 1969.3128.002, 1969.3929.001, 1969.3929.002, 1969.3929.003, c 1830
© Updated 5/17/2020 Author: Terry Terrell