Napkin

Art Historical Context

This exquisite linen napkin, woven in France between 1848 and 1852, exemplifies the refined artistry of mid-19th-century European. Measuring a generous 28 x inches, it belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative collection, gifted by Annie May Hegeman in1932. As a finely crafted piece of woven linen, it highlights the technical mastery of jacquard looms, which allowed intricate patterns to be produced efficiently during the Industrial Revolution's embrace of decorative household goods. The napkin's design features prominent motifs of eagles, flowers, and coa...