Patch Box
1785
Medium
Decorative Arts
Classification
Decorative Arts
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly
Accession Number
1929.8.554.4
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of late 18th-century America with this exquisite *Patch Box* from 1785. Crafted by an unidentified artisan, this small decorative arts treasure was designed to hold beauty patches—tiny silk or velvet adornments popular among women of the era. These patches applied to the face for fashion, flirtation, or to conceal smallpox scars, were stored in ornate boxes like this one, reflecting the period's blend of practicality and luxury just after the Revolutionary War. In the Federal era, such objects symbolized emerging American sophistication, drawing from European influ...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –