Design for an Embroidery or a Woven Horizontal Border, of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
1805-1815
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1923-61-28
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing, titled *Design for an Embroidery a Woven Horizontal Border from the Fabrique de Saint Ruf in Lyon, France (ca. 1805–1815), offers a glimpse into the golden age of French textile design. Created during the Napoleonic Empire, when Lyon reigned as Europe's silk capital, it served as a blueprint for luxurious embroidered or woven borders—likely intended for garments, furnishings, or ecclesiastical textiles. The Fabrique de Saint Ruf a prominent workshop, exemplified the city's innovative "fabriques," where skilled designers translated intricate patterns into producible weave...