Lace Design
19th century
Medium
Pen and ink with wash
Dimensions
sheet: 3 1/16 x 7 11/16 in. (7.8 x 19.5 cm) mount: 6 1/2 x 8 3/16 in. (16.5 x 20.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1961
Accession Number
61.519.1(4)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Lace Design*, created anonymously by a French artist in the 19th century, the intricate beauty of floral motifs—blooming flowers intertwined with leaves—in a compact sheet measuring just 3 1/16 x 7 11/16 inches. Such preparatory drawings were essential tools in France's renowned lace-making industry, a cornerstone of the nation's textile heritage during the Belle Époque era. They served as blueprints for artisans crafting luxurious trims for gowns, veils, and furnishings, reflecting the era's obsession with ornate, nature-inspired decoration amid the rise of high fashion. Rende...
About the Artist
Anonymous, French, 19th century · 1800–1900
**Anonymous, French, 19th Century (ca. 1800–1900)** The artist cataloged as Anonymous, French, 19th century embodies the enigmatic yet essential contributions of unidentified creators to France's vibrant 19th-century art world. Active roughly between 1800 and 1900, this figure—or potentially collective workshop—produced a diverse array of works amid the nation's transition from Neoclassicism thro...