Court presentation handkerchief
Unknown Artist
1840–60
Medium
Linen
Classification
Court Presentation Handkerchief
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 the estate of Margaret M. Cullen, 1934
Accession Number
2009.300.4260
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of mid-19th-century Belgian high society with this exquisite *Court presentation handkerchief*, crafted between 1840 and 1860. As a formal accessory reserved for elite occasions like royal court presentations, it embodies the era's emphasis on understated luxury and impeccable etiquette. Handkerchiefs like this were essential for women of nobility, serving not just as practical items but as symbols of status, often carried during formal audiences with King Leopold I or at grand balls. Made of fine linen—a prized natural fiber known for its durability, breathability...