Belt buckle
Unknown Artist
1840s
Medium
gold
Classification
Belt Buckle
Culture
European
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lee Simonson, 1938
Accession Number
C.I.38.23.451
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gold belt buckle, crafted by an unknown European artist in the 184s, offers a glimpse into the opulent world of Victorian-era fashion. During this period, marked by the Industrial Revolution's prosperity and Queen Victoria's influence, accessories like belt buckles were essential status symbols for the elite. Worn to cinch corseted waists and accentuate elaborate gowns, such pieces blended functionality with lavish display, reflecting the era's Romantic emphasis on ornamentation and personal adornment. Forged from pure gold, the buckle exemplifies the fine metalworking techniqu...