Case and eyeglasses
1820–1850
Classification
costume & accessories
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Sarah Cooper Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-6-9-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of 19th American fashion with *Case and Eyeglasses a delicate artifact from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection of costume and accessories. Dating to 1820–1850, this captures the elegance of the early antebellum era, when personal accessories like eyeglasses transitioned from medical necessities to stylish statements of sophistication. Worn by the emerging middle and upper classes, such items blended functionality with subtle ornamentation, reflecting growing access to optical technology amid industrialization. Though the artist and medium remain under...
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...