Design for Embroidery of a Lower Front Part of an Overskirt of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf"
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1920-36-19
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 18-century French fashion with this drawing, a *Design for Embroidery of Lower Front Part of ankirt* from the renowned Fabrique de Saint Ruf Lyon, France, circa 1785. as a preparatory blueprint for luxurious textile embroidery, it captures the intricate patterns intended for the visible lower front of an oversirt—a key element in the elaborate layered gowns worn by the elite. Lyon's silk industry, powered by skilled artisans in workshops like Saint Ruf, dominated Europe's luxury fabric trade, producing shimmering brocades and embroidered silks that defined high f...