Bonnet
Unknown Artist
ca. 1850
Medium
Silk, cotton
Classification
Bonnet
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of The Jason and Peggy Westerfield Collection, 1969
Accession Number
2009.300.5705
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of mid-19th-century American fashion with this charming silk and cotton bonnet, crafted around 1850 by an unknown artist. Bonnets like this were essential daytime headwear for women, offering both sun protection and a frame for the face that aligned with Victorian ideals of modesty and refinement. Made from luxurious silk—often imported and prized for its sheen—and sturdy cotton, the bonnet exemplifies the blend of practicality and aspiration in everyday attire during America's antebellum period. The use of these materials highlights the craftsmanship of the era: s...