Panels
ca. 1770â80
Classification
Decorative Arts
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1910-31-21-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of late 18th-century America *Panels*, a captivating example of decorative arts from around 1770–80. Created during the turbulent years of the American Revolution, panels likely adorned homes, furniture, or public spaces, the craftsmanship of anonymous artisans in a young nation forging its identity. Housed in the Smithsonian American Museum's collection, they offer a window into colonial and early Federal aesthetics, where everyday objects blended European influences with emerging American ingenuity. Though the artist and medium remain unknown—pending ongoing rese...
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...