Renaissance Quilt

In response to a challenge posed to one of the Quilt Guilds to which I belong, I made a quilt that had to be inspired by any dictionary definition of the term "renaissance" or anything thing that represented that particular time period.  

My choice was to focus on perspective by making an open window with its shutter also open - thereby giving me a chance to show perspective.  Naturally, I also felt I had to have something worth looking at inside that open window.

While we were in Italy, I noticed that the museum shops were selling lens cloths (used to clean eyeglasses) with fine art reproductions printed on them.  I thought that was a possibility for my open window (thinking of a still life, for example) but didn't see anything that would work.  Once we returned home, I went on line and bought a couple that I thought might work.  One really captured my imagination as you will see shortly.

Our "Italian trip" also answered my question as to what the building around the open window would look like.  In my stash I knew I had a remnant of home decorator fabric that was absolutely perfect for a Renaissance building.

Basically, I had solved all my problems - except making the quilt.  What with everything else that had to be done, I didn't get the quilt completed until the night before the Guild meeting where the Challenge quilts were to be displayed with makers' identities carefully hidden and voted on. 

Here is my entry:

It wasn't easy to get a good photo because of the dark background, so Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring is more shadowed than it should be.  In the close-up below, you can almost see where the lens cloth began and ended, but the fabric that I added in constructing her arm and lengthening her back may obscure it a little.  She is wearing her earring, and as you can tell, she has received a letter with a jewelry pouch containing a pearl necklace.  What will she do?  

The Guild membership voted this quilt the best of those that came in. 

A bit embarassing as I am the sole member of the Challenge committee!