Brooch
ca. 1820â40
Classification
jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase from Decorative Arts Association Acquisition Fund
Accession Number
1994-32-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant brooch, dating to around 1820–40, hails from the early decades of the 19th century—a time when America was blossoming into a young nation, with tastes in decorative arts blending neoclassical elegance and emerging romantic sentiments. As a piece of jewelry from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, it exemplifies the personal adornments worn by women of the era, often pinned to shawls, dresses, or collars as cherished fashion statements or intimate keepsakes. Though the artist and medium remain under active research—marked simply as "Research in Progress"—its classifi...
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...