Project number 1599 of the Fabrique de St. Ruf, for Gentleman's Embroidered Waistcoat
Classification
embroidery & stitching
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1921-22-241
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
In the opulent world of late 18th-century French, *Project number 1599 the Fabrique de St Ruf, for Gentleman'sbroidered Waistcoat* as a delicate testament to the era's sartorial splendor. Created around 1785 by Mademoiselleieu, a French embroiderer active during this time, this design hails from the Fabrique de St. Ruf likely a specialized workshop producing patterns for luxurious textiles. Waistcoats were essential to a gentleman's formal attire, transforming the male silhouette into a canvas of elegance and status just before the French Revolution upended aristocratic excess. As a pattern i...