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Subject of Square:
The Gundalow
Quilter’s Name:
Paula Amazeen
Background on subject:
A gundalow is a shallow drafted type of cargo barge, once
common in the Gulf of Maine's rivers and estuaries and along the New Hampshire
coast. The gundalow began as a simple undecked barge in the mid-1600s, and it
was poled or rowed with long oars. From the 1700s into the 1900s gundalows
evolved into fully decked flat-bottomed cargo carriers with a cabin and lateen sail
that could be lowered to "shoot" under bridges. The sail acted as an 'auxiliary
engine' since gundalows depended on the tides to take them upriver on the rising
tide and downriver on the falling tide.
Why you chose this subject:
I chose this subject because I enjoyed a trip on the
gundalow out of Portsmouth. It was interesting to see how it was powered and
maneuvered, and it was easy to appreciate its use in colonial days.
Thoughts on your representation/design/color choices/etc.:
I wanted to capture the blues of the sky
and the ocean, and I particularly wanted to
emphasize the sail and its position on the
boat itself.
What you hope this quilt will mean for the people who see it:
I hope that the quilt
will encourage people to visit the Hampton
Historical Society especially to see the Charles Henry Turner painting, "Gundalow
Near Hampton Landing" painted in 1889.
04-03 - Gundalow
