Length
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
Overall: 68 1/2 x 19 1/2 in. (174 x 49.5 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
British, London, Spitalfields
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1962
Accession Number
62.136.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite length of silk, designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite woven by Thomas Brant in 8, hails from London's Spitalfields, the epicenter of Britain's 18th-century silk industry. Measuring an impressive 68½ x 19½ inches, this woven textile showcases vibrant floral motifs—a hallmark of Garthwaite's innovative designs, which drew inspiration from botanical illustrations and contemporary painting. Garthwaite, one of the few women designers of her era, rose to prominence in Spitalfields, creating patterns for luxurious brocaded silks that adorned the gowns of the elite. Spitalfields' silk weav...