Design for a Woven Fabric
1825–1850
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1909-13-53
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing, titled *Design for a Woven*, dates to the mid-19th century (1825–1850) and hails from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection. Created by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the preparatory sketches essential to America's burgeoning textile industry during the antebellum era. As factories in New England and beyond mechanized weaving, designers played a crucial role in crafting patterns for everyday fabrics like calicoes and shawls, blending European influences with emerging American tastes. Rendered in drawing medium—likely pencil, ink, or watercolor on paper—thi...
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...