10.25.07
World Class Quilt Collection Donated to University of Alberta
Press Release
Thanks to the generosity and vision of Toronto collectors Alvin and Gloria Rosenberg, the University of Alberta has been gifted with a breathtaking assortment of 677 North American quilts worth almost half a million dollars.
The Rosenberg Quilt Collection is a vibrant, world class addition to the University of Alberta’s existing Clothing and Textiles Colleciton, the only university teaching collection in Canada. “The breadth and depth of the Rosenberg collection ensures that the art of quilting not only pays heed to the artisans of the past, but extends to future generations,” said Beverly Lemire, Henry Marshall Tory Chair in Human Ecology at the University of Alberta.
Some of these exquisite quilts are on display at the McMullen Gallery in the University of Alberta Hospital from October 26 to December 9, 2007. Some of the collection will also be exhibited in the main foyer of the Human Ecology Building on the University of Alberta campus during this time.
Crafted from materials as diverse as homespun wool, men’s suits and flour sacks, these patchwork wonders span more than 100 years; the oldest quilt is believed to date to about 1840. Mrs. Rosenberg, a Toronto based dealer for many years, began collecting quilts in 1958 and purchased her last one in 1990. Gathered from the United States and Canada, the varied collection reflects a kaleidoscope of pattern and form; from Victorian silk ‘crazy’ quilts to subdued, work-a-day versions handcrafted by Amish and Mennonite women.
The Rosenbergs chose to donate their extensive collection to the University of Alberta for the valuable use it will have in a teaching environment. “A quilt can fill many needs. It can provide warmth and comfort. It can satisfy the desire for beauty. A quilt creates an opportunity for social interaction, and the university can help ensure that through its classroom programs, the legacy of this beautiful and functional art form is preserved,” said Mrs. Rosenberg.
The one-of-a-kind collection will be used as a teaching tool of U of A students, but will also be open to the public and to other academics as a resource for research and inspiration.
The University of Alberta Clothing and Textiles Collection, located in the Department of Human Ecology in the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics, houses more than 16,000 textiles, garments, and related artifacts. The collection spans 250 years of fashions for women, men, and children as well as artifacts such as looms, spindles, and clothing patterns.
The University of Alberta in Edmonton is one of the top 100 teaching and research universities in the world, serving some 36,000 students with more than 11,000 faculty and staff. Founded almost a century ago, the university has an annual budget in excess of $1 billion and attracts more than $480 million in external research funding. It offers close to 400 undergraduate and graduate programs in 18 faculties.
For more information contact:
Beverly Lemire
Professor and Henry Marshall Tory Chair
Department of History & Classics
Department of Human Ecology
780-492-3327
Julia Petrov
Exhibitions Coordinator
University of Alberta
Department of Human Ecology
780-492-2528
This information provided courtesy of Quilter’s Muse Publications.
