Cushion cover
1601/50
Medium
Silk, velvet
Dimensions
114.8 × 60.8 cm (45 1/4 × 23 7/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
80196
Art Historical Context
This exquisite cushion cover, crafted between 1601 and 1650, hails from the Art Institute of Chicago Textiles department. Measuring an impressive 114.8 60.8 cm (45¼ × 23⅞ in.), it was fashioned from luxurious silk and velvet by an unknown artist. Such large-scale textiles were designed to drape over seating cushions, transforming ordinary furniture into statements of opulence in well-to-do households. Dating to the early 17th—a time of flourishing trade in fine fabrics across Europe and the Islamic world—this piece reflects the era's demand for sumptuous domestic furnishings. Velvet, with its...
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...