Panel
1849
Medium
Silk, warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave self-patterned by areas of plain weave and ground weft floats
Dimensions
72.5 × 67.9 cm (28 1/2 × 26 3/4 in.); Repeat: 28.6 × 22.2 cm (11 1/4 × 8 3/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
72898
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk *Panel* from 1849, housed in the Art Institute of's Textiles Department, measures 28½ × 26¾ inches (72.5 × 67.9 cm) and features a repeating pattern unit of 11¼ × 8¾ inches (28.6 × 22.2 cm). Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies mid-19th-century textile, when silk remained a symbol of luxury and refinement amid the Industrial Revolution's textile boom. The panel's ingenuity lies in its self-patterned structure: a warp-float faced 71 satin weave, artfully combined with areas of plain weave and ground weft floats. This technique creates visual texture and design throu...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...