Quilts are a preeminent American art form. Pieced, applique, or whole cloth, made either from yards of expensive imported cloths or small remnants of dressmaking fabrics, even lowly feed sacks, quilted bedcovers help tell the story of the nation from colonial times through the Great Depression of the 1930s. The study of quilts and quiltmaking reveals not only the richness of America's cultural diversity but also brings to light significant aspects of the social history and cultural identity of women in the United States.The magnificent quilts in the Patricia S. Smith Collection are rare early examples. Created before 1850, when colorful printed cottons were prestige fabrics imported from England and France, they fill an important gap in our knowledge of early quilts and the textiles used to make them. In a comprehensive essay, Renwick Gallery curator Jeremy Adamson discusses the origins and history of printed textiles in quilts made before 1850.