Design for an Embroidered or Woven Horizontal Border of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
1805–1815
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1914-21-125
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate design drawing from the Fab de Saint Ruf, a renowned textile manufactory in Lyon, France dates to the Napoleonic era (1805–1815). Lyon was Europe's silk weaving capital, and factories like Saint Ruf produced luxurious fabrics for fashion and furnishings, exporting them worldwide. Titled *Design for an Embro or Woven Horizontal Border it served as a blueprint for artisans to create repeating patterns in embroidery or loom-woven textiles—essential tools in an industry where precision drove opulent designs for shawls, dresses, and upholstery. Created as a preparatory drawing (mediu...