Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Quilter, 1940

Quilter, 1940

Original - Mrs. Bill Stagg with state quilt, Pie Town, New Mexico, October 1940.

Reason

A piece of Americana: a frontierswoman stands outside her log cabin home in a gingham dress and sturdy black shoes while she displays her proudest artistic achievement: a hand pieced and embroidered quilt that depicts all the state flowers and birds (there were 48 states when this photo was taken). Harsh lighting suits this portrait: the deep lines on her broad featured face suggest a hard life - note the complete absence of flowers, birds or any other living thing on her "lawn". Scenes like this could have taken place anytime from 1840 to 1940 and we're lucky to have one in Kodachrome. Restored version of Image:Russellquilter.jpg.

Articles this image appears in

History of quilting and Quilt

Creator

Lee Russell, U.S. Gov't public domain

• Support as nominator Durova^Charge! 07:34, 8 February 2008 (UTC)
• Support per nom. —αἰτίας •discussion• 16:52, 8 February 2008 (UTC)
• Support per nom. Much more interesting than one might expect an illustration of History of Quilting to be. Spikebrennan (talk) 22:15, 10 February 2008 (UTC)
• Oppose 1940 is not that rare. If it was 1890 and a color photograph I'd support. 1940 just doesn't cut it for a old photograph of this kind of subject. There isn't anything particularly special about her. -Fcb981(talk:contribs) —Preceding comment was added at 01:42, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

But, this is a early example of good color photography. That in itself is valuable. Geoff Plourde (talk) 06:23, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Firstly it's not being used to illustrate that, and secondly we seem to have a plethora of 'good color photography' from around this time. --jjron (talk) 07:28, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Not exactly a plethora: most of the good PD color photography from this era comes from the U.S. Farm Security Administration. Color files are a tiny fraction of that body of material. Several of their photographers didn't understand the medium, a fair portion of it seems to have been developed incorrectly, and as for the better part - Wikipedians are well on our way to picking it clean (pick, pick). Durova^Charge! 17:34, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Heh, perhaps you've just been spoiling us recently then. ;-) --jjron (talk) 07:52, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

• Support Excellent example of early color. Geoff Plourde (talk) 06:23, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
• Oppose basically per Fcb. The interesting part of this photo (and what it's being used to illustrate) is the quilt, but I don't think it is a great illustration of that. The reason for the nom itself seems to support this idea as the reason focuses on the woman and the setting. --jjron (talk) 07:33, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
• Support. Can't think of a better illustration of an amateur quilter. Samsara (talk • contribs) 00:13, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

Promoted Image:Russellquiltera.jpg MER-C 07:57, 14 February 2008 (UTC)