Piano Cover

This piano cover, decorated with Métis beadwork, was made in 1878 at what is now Fort Qu’appelle, Saskatchewan.

Written by Nancy McCarthy with Sherry Farrell Racette

 — Posted January 14, 2022
Parks Canada

This beaded piano cover was made in 1878 at what is now Fort Qu’appelle, Saskatchewan. It is likely that local Métis women worked collectively on the large project, although the precision of the beadwork suggests the hand of one master artist possibly executing the larger motifs, while recruiting other women to work on the border and connecting motifs.

At 1.25 metres by 1.65 metres, this may be one of the largest surviving pieces of floral beadwork. The size, masterful execution, and provenance make this piano cover one of the most significant pieces of Métis floral beadwork in the Parks Canada collection.

Currently in storage in Winnipeg, the piano cover is slated to be displayed at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in 2022.

A close-up view of the piano cover reveals the intricate and highly detailed Métis beadwork that makes up the colourful floral designs.
Parks Canada

This article originally appeared in the February-March 2022 issue of Canada’s History.

Themes associated with this article

Related to First Nations, Inuit & Metis

Eider Duck Parka

The Inuit of southeastern Hudson Bay have been harvesting eiderdown for generations. 

Article

Tides of Change

Inside the ingenious Inuit kayak.
Article

Mikak’s Improbable Journey

From the archive: A feature story in the Winter 1983 issue of The Beaver tells the story of an Inuit woman in the eighteenth century who travelled to England against her will and became an essential figure in diplomatic relations between European traders and Indigenous peoples. 

Article

Arrowhead Sash

Early Red River settler Jean-Baptiste Lagimodière wore this colourful accessory.
Article