Design for an Embroidered or Woven Horizontal Border of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
1805â1815
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1914-21-116
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of early 19th-century French textile artistry with this delicate *Design for an Embroidered or Woven Horizontal Border* from the Fabrique de Saint Ruf in Lyon, France, created between 1805 and 1815. Lyon, long renowned as Europe's silk-weaving capital, was at its peak during the Napoleonic Empire, producing luxurious fabrics that adorned imperial courts and fashionable homes across continents. This drawing captures the ingenuity of the Fabrique de Saint Ruf, a prominent workshop specializing in intricate woven and embroidered borders—repeating motifs perfect for edging shaw...