The impulse to cover interior surfaces has historically been both utilitarian and decorative. Early American rugs were yarn sewn, shirred, appliqued, and embroidered. As many surviving rugs attest, the best examples transcend function through the graphic power of their color and design. “The Great Cover-up: American Rugs on Beds, Tables, and Floors” features approximately 65 rugs that span the end of the 18th through the mid-20th centuries, including several monumental masterworks, such as the museum’s stunning 13-foot Appliqued Carpet (c. 1860) and the magnificent Embroidered Carpet (1832–1835) by Zeruah H. Guernsey Caswell from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Other treasures from the museum’s collection include the rare and striking Knitted Rug attributed to Elvira Hulett, a member of the Hancock Shaker community, whose design is a technical tour de force, and the graphic Pictorial Table Rug, which powerfully illustrates the strong link between church and home. Originally, hand-sewn and -hooked rugs were enjoyed only within the intimate confines of the home. Today, their public appreciation provides a fascinating glimpse into the private spaces of American life. 

Although the museum regularly includes rugs in its exhibitions, “The Great Cover-up” is the first presentation devoted to a wide range of American rug traditions since 1974, when Kate Kopp and Joel Kopp organized the seminal show “Hooked Rugs in the Folk Art Tradition.”

Lee Kogan, curator

Coordinated by Stacy C. Hollander, senior curator and director of exhibitions

“The Great Cover-up: American Rugs on Beds, Tables, and Floors” is sponsored in part by the Gerard C. Wertkin Exhibition Fund, the Leir Charitable Foundations in memory of Henry J. & Erna D. Leir, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

• New York Times review
• Folk Art article