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
1920-36-162
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate design drawing, created by the renowned Fabrique de Saint Ruf Lyon, France, between 1805 and 1815, served as a blueprint for embroidered or woven horizontal borders in textiles. Lyon, the epicenter of Europe's silk industry during the Napoleonic era, was famed for its innovative weaving techniques and opulent fabrics that adorned imperial courts and fashionable homes. The Fabrique de Saint Ruf, a manufactory, specialized in such intricate patterns, blending neoclassical motifs with emerging Empire style elegance. As a preparatory drawing—its exact medium yet to be specified—this...