plate no. 6229

The Quilting Frolic

John Lewis Krimmel, 1813

oilNeoclassicismgenre paintingfiguresinteriorpartyquiltingmusicdomestic scene

From the record

Dimensions: 43 cm high × 57 cm wide
Institution: Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
Location: Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
Inception: 1813
Materials: oil paint, canvas

Wikipedia article Wikidata item Q118903888

from the sources

Quilting Frolic is an oil-on-canvas genre painting by John Lewis Krimmel, painted in Philadelphia in 1813. en.wikipedia.org
“Quilting Frolic is an oil-on-canvas genre painting by American artist John Lewis Krimmel (1786–1821). It was painted in Philadelphia in 1813.”
Krimmel made the painting for a May 1813 exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. en.wikipedia.org
“Krimmel produced Quilting Frolic to feature in a May 1813 exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, of which he was a member.”
The painting was intended as a companion to Krimmel's copy of David Wilkie's The Blind Fiddler. en.wikipedia.org
“The painting was intended as a companion piece to Krimmel's copy of David Wilkie's The Blind Fiddler (1806).”
The painting was sold during Krimmel's lifetime to Navy officer Alexander Murray and passed through several owners after Murray died in 1820. en.wikipedia.org
“The painting was sold during Krimmel's lifetime to U.S. Navy officer Alexander Murray and went through several owners after Murray's death in 1820.”
The painting was exhibited at the Boston Athenaeum in 1829. en.wikipedia.org
“It was exhibited at the Boston Athenaeum in 1829.”
The Winterthur Museum bought the painting in 1953 from the Old Print Shop, which had acquired it that year from Child's Gallery of Boston. en.wikipedia.org
“The Winterthur Museum purchased the painting from the Old Print Shop later that year.”
The painting includes patriotic military imagery, with a portrait of George Washington flanked by images of American warships defeating British ships. en.wikipedia.org
“the portrait of George Washington above the fireplace is flanked by a pair of images of American warships defeating British ships in 1812 naval battles”
A contemporary reviewer in the Port Folio praised the painting favorably. en.wikipedia.org
“The painting received favorable contemporary notice, with an anonymous reviewer in the Port Folio, a Philadelphia literary magazine, commenting that "the subject is good and executed with great judgment”

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Create a rough sketch of the composition, focusing on the placement of the main figures and objects.
step 02
Establish the background colors and values, working from dark to light.
step 03
Begin to block in the main shapes of the figures, paying attention to their proportions and poses.
step 04
Develop the details of the figures, including their clothing, faces, and hands.
step 05
Add the details of the objects in the scene, such as the furniture, dishes, and musical instruments.
step 06
Refine the lighting and shadows, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · titanium white

Achieve the warm, muted tones by mixing burnt umber with yellow ochre and small amounts of red and blue. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights.

techniques