Design for a Woven or Embroidered Horizontal Border, of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This drawing from the Fabrique de Saint Ruf in Lyon, France, created between 1805 and 1815, is a preparatory design for a woven or embroidered horizontal border. As a working sketch rather than a finished textile, it captures the planning stage of decorative production, where patterns were carefully composed before being translated into fabric by skilled artisans. Lyon’s factories, including Saint Ruf, were central to France’s textile industry during the early 19th century, supplying intricate borders for garments, furnishings, and ceremonial pieces. Such designs allowed workshops to refine motifs and ensure consistency across woven or embroidered goods, blending artistic invention with practical manufacturing needs. Now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the work illustrates the close partnership between drawing and craft. Though its exact medium is unrecorded, its classification as a drawing underscores the essential role of paper studies in bringing ornamental textiles to life, offering a window into the era’s collaborative decorative arts.