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
1914-21-95
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing, titled *Design for an Embro or Woven Horizontal Border the "Fabrique de. Ruf"*, hails from the renowned textile hub of Lyon, France, created between 1805 and 1815 by the Fabrique Saint Ruf workshop. Lyon was the epicenter of Europe's silk industry during the Napoleonic era, where innovative Jacquard looms—patented just a few years earlier in 1801—enabled intricate woven patterns that mimicked hand embroidery. As a preparatory design, this work would have guided artisans in producing luxurious borders for shawls, dresses, or furnishings, blending functionality with opulen...