Design for an Embroidered or Woven Horizontal Border of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf," Unfinished
1805–1815
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1914-21-83
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This unfinished drawing, created by the renowned Fabrique de Saint Ruf in Lyon, France, around 1805–1815, served as a pattern for an embroidered or woven horizontal border. Lyon, the epicenter of Europe's silk industry during the Napoleonic era, was famed for its innovative textile designs, blending neoclassical motifs with Empire-style grandeur. Fabriques like Saint Ruf produced luxurious fabrics for fashion, furnishings, and export, fueling France's economic revival after the Revolution. As a preparatory drawing—its medium yet unidentified—this work reveals the meticulous process behind tex...