Button
19th century
Medium
costume & accessories
Classification
costume & accessories
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1931-59-146
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Nestled within the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection of costume and accessories, this unassuming 19th-century offers a glimpse into everyday American life. Classified under costume and accessories, it exemplifies the small yet essential objects that adorned clothing during an era of rapid industrialization and expanding fashion trends. Though the artist remains unknown and research is ongoing, its presence in the Smithsonian highlights how such artifacts preserve the tactile history of personal style. In the 19th century buttons evolved from functional fasteners to decorative stateme...
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...