Handscreen
18th century
Classification
costume & accessories
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1925-1-57-a
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 18th-century fashion with *Handscreen*, a delicate accessory from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection of costume and accessories. Dating to the 1700s, this enigmatic piece—purchased for the museum by the Advisory Council— served as a portable shield for ladies at the fireside or in sunlit parlors. Handscreens were essential tools of refinement, protecting porcelain complex and powdered wigs from glow of hearth flames or harsh daylight, blending practicality with personal style. Though the artist and medium remain unidentified amid ongoing research, ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...