Design for an Embroidered Border of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
1790–1800
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1920-36-57
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing, titled *Design for an Embro Border of the "Fab de St. Ruf"*, hails from the renowned textile workshops of Lyon, France, 1790–1800. Created by the Fabrique de Saint Ruf—a prominent Lyon silk manufactory—this piece served as a preparatory pattern for embroidered borders, essential in the city's thriving industry, which supplied luxurious fabrics to European courts and elites. Lyon's silk weavers were masters of innovation during this era, blending artisanal skill with emerging industrial techniques amid the turbulence of the French Revolution. As a simple yet precise draw...