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
1920-36-165
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate design drawing, created by the Fabrique de Ruf in Lyon, France, between 1805 and 1815, served as a pattern for embroidered or woven horizontal borders in textiles. Lyon was Europe's premier center for silk production during the Napoleonic era, where workshops like Saint Ruf crafted luxurious fabrics for fashion, furnishings, and imperial commissions. Such drawings were essential blueprints for weavers, capturing intricate motifs that would translate into shimmering silks via handlooms or early mechanized processes. The artwork reflects the opulent Empire style of the time, chara...