Hat

Art Historical Context

This elegant fur hat, crafted around 1869 by an unknown American artisan, exemplifies mid-19th-century fashion the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Made from luxurious fur—likely a prized material for warmth and prestige—paired with practical cotton lining or trim, it reflects the era's blend of functionality and style. Such hats were essential accessories for both men and women during the post-Civil War years, social status amid America's growing industrial prosperity. In the Victorian-influenced American context of the late 1860s, headwear like this evolved from earlier ...