Bonnet Veil
1850s
Medium
Silk, bobbin straight lace (made in horizontal strips)
Dimensions
42.6 × 88.5 cm (16 3/4 × 34 7/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
3866
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of mid-19th-century fashion this exquisite *Bonnet Veil* from the 1850s, housed in the Art Institute of's Textiles Department. Crafted from delicate silk adorned with bobbin straight lace formed in horizontal strips and measuring 42.6 × 88.5 cm, this piece was designed to drape elegantly over a lady's bonnet. Bonnets were the quintessential daytime headwear for women during the Victorian era, offering both protection from the elements and a canvas for personal style. The artistry lies in the bobbin lace technique, a labor-intensive handmade process where threads ar...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...