Judy Chicago (American, born 1939). <em>Mary Wollstonecraft Place Setting</em>, 1974-1979. Runner: Silk satin, cotton/linen base fabric, woven interface support material (horsehair, wool, and linen), cotton twill tape, silk, synthetic gold cord, felt padding, braid, buttons, lace, kid leather, ribbons, feathers, suede leather, silk, paint, silk thread
Plate: Porcelain with overglaze enamel (China paint), Runner: 52 1/2 x 30 3/4 in. (133.4 x 78.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of The Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, 2002.10-PS-30. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: , 2002.10-PS-30_runner_detail1_PS1.jpg)

Judy Chicago (American, born 1939). Mary Wollstonecraft Place Setting, 1974-1979. Runner: Silk satin, cotton/linen base fabric, woven interface support material (horsehair, wool, and linen), cotton twill tape, silk, synthetic gold cord, felt padding, braid, buttons, lace, kid leather, ribbons, feathers, suede leather, silk, paint, silk thread Plate: Porcelain with overglaze enamel (China paint), Runner: 52 1/2 x 30 3/4 in. (133.4 x 78.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of The Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, 2002.10-PS-30. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: , 2002.10-PS-30_runner_detail1_PS1.jpg)

DOWNLOAD

Download our app and ask your own questions during your visit. Here are some that others have asked.

Tell me more.

This place setting represents the famous writer, Mary Wollstonecraft. Wollstonecraft advocated for the rights of women and published multiple books on the subject.

Here, Chicago uses "stumpwork" an embroidery technique that was popular during Wollstonecraft's life (18th century England) to visually tell the story of her life.

There is some sort of birthing scene on the back of Mary Wollstonecraft’s place setting in ‘The Dinner Party.’ Can you tell me what this depicts?

A birthing scene is exactly what it depicts. Wollstonecraft's runner is adorned with figural representations of scenes from her life including the birth of her daughter, who grew up to be the famous author Mary Shelley.

Wollstonecraft died as a result of complications of the birth. Including this scene is not only meant to represent Wollstonecraft's own life, but the overall dangers of childbirth, one of the largest issues that women have faced throughout time and throughout the world.

How come this one is green?

Chicago hasn't spoken specifically about her color choice for this runner, only noting that she chose to use embroidery styles (needlepoint, petitpoint, embroidery, crochet, and stumpwork) as a comment on the kinds of activities that were considered appropriate for women.

Mary Wollstonecraft Place Setting

Judy Chicago

Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art

On View: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, 4th Floor

ARTIST Judy Chicago, American, born 1939

MEDIUM Runner: Silk satin, cotton/linen base fabric, woven interface support material (horsehair, wool, and linen), cotton twill tape, silk, synthetic gold cord, felt padding, braid, buttons, lace, kid leather, ribbons, feathers, suede leather, silk, paint, silk thread Plate: Porcelain with overglaze enamel (China paint)

DATES 1974-1979

DIMENSIONS Runner: 52 1/2 x 30 3/4 in. (133.4 x 78.1 cm) Plate:14 3/16 x 14 3/16 x 3 in. (36 x 36 x 7.6 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 2002.10-PS-30

CREDIT LINE Gift of The Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, 4th Floor

CAPTION Judy Chicago (American, born 1939). Mary Wollstonecraft Place Setting, 1974-1979. Runner: Silk satin, cotton/linen base fabric, woven interface support material (horsehair, wool, and linen), cotton twill tape, silk, synthetic gold cord, felt padding, braid, buttons, lace, kid leather, ribbons, feathers, suede leather, silk, paint, silk thread Plate: Porcelain with overglaze enamel (China paint), Runner: 52 1/2 x 30 3/4 in. (133.4 x 78.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of The Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, 2002.10-PS-30. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: , 2002.10-PS-30_runner_detail1_PS1.jpg)

IMAGE group, 2002.10-PS-30_runner_detail1_PS1.jpg.

"CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.

The Brooklyn Museum holds a non-exclusive license to reproduce images of this work of art from the rights holder named here. The Museum does not warrant that the use of this work will not infringe on the rights of third parties. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions before copying, transmitting, or making other use of protected items beyond that allowed by "fair use," as such term is understood under the United States Copyright Act. For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org. If you wish to contact the rights holder for this work, please email copyright@brooklynmuseum.org and we will assist if we can.