Design for an Embroidered (or Woven) Field
ca. 1785
Classification
embroidery & stitching
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Catharine Oglesby
Accession Number
1958-120-2
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This intriguing *Design for an Embro (or Woven) Field*, to around 1785, offers a glimpse into late 18th-century American textile artistry. Created by an unknown artist, it as a pattern for embroidery or weaving, highlighting the era's blend of practicality and creativity in domestic crafts. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum Smithsonian Collection as a gift from Catharine Oglesby, this falls under the classification of embroidery and stitching—a medium that was both utilitarian and expressive. In the post-Revolutionary United States, such designs reflected the cultural importance o...
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...