Collar
Unknown Artist
ca. 1855
Medium
Linen
Classification
Collar
Culture
Belgian
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 Mrs. Albert Van Wyck, 1924
Accession Number
2009.300.4064
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite linen collar, crafted by an unknown Belgian artist around 1855, exemplifies the elegance of mid-19th fashion accessories. Adorning the neckline of women's dresses, such collars were essential for achieving the modest yet decorative silhouette of the Victorian era. Delicate floral motifs, suggested by its design tags, likely feature intricate embroidery or needlework, transforming simple linen—a durable, breathable fabric favored for undergarments and trims—into a wearable work of art. Belgian textiles, particularly from Flanders, were renowned worldwide during this period for t...