Design for an Embroidered or Woven Corner Motif of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
1800–1825
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1920-36-45
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing, titled *Design for an Embroidered oroven Corner Motif of "Fabrique de St Ruf"*, hails the renowned textile manufactory Fabrique Saint Ruf in Lyon, France, dating to 1800–1825. Created as a preparatory sketch in ink or on paper, it served as a blueprint for luxurious or woven fabrics—likely shawls,, or garments. Lyon, the silk capital of Europe during this, was famed for its innovative Jacquard looms and intricate designs, fueling France's textile export boom amid the Napoleonic Empire and periods. As a corner motif, this design would have adorned the edges of opulent te...