Mittens

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of 1870s American fashion with *Mittens*, a delicate pair crafted from luxurious silk by an unknown artist. Dating to 1870–75, these mittens hail from the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, part of the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection gifted in 2009. In an era of post-Civil War prosperity and Victorian refinement, silk was a prized material symbolizing wealth and sophistication, often imported and handworked into accessories that complemented day dresses or evening gloves. Mittens like these offered practical yet stylish coverage for the hands, ...