Design for an Embroidered or Woven Horizontal Border of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
1805â1815
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1914-21-90
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of early 19th-century French with this *Design for an Embro or Woven Horizontal Border from the Fabrique de Ruf in Lyon, France, created between 1805 and 1815. Lyon, long celebrated as Europe's silk capital, was home to prestigious manufactories like Saint Ruf, which produced luxurious fabrics for fashion, furnishings, and export. This drawing—likely a preparatory sketch on paper—served as a blueprint for intricate borders destined for embroidery or weaving, capturing the opulent Empire style of Napoleon's era with its neoclassical motifs and refined patterns. As a...