Purse
17th century
Medium
costume & accessories
Classification
costume & accessories
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Richard Cranch Greenleaf in memory of his mother, Adeline Emma Greenleaf
Accession Number
1962-55-7
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection costume and accessories, where this 17th-century stands as a quiet testament to everyday elegance from early colonial America. Donated through the generous bequest of Cranch Greenleaf in of his mother, Adeline Emma Greenleaf, this captures a slice of personal history from an era of exploration and settlement. In the 1600s, purses like this were indispensable accessories, crafted to carry coins, keys, or small essentials while reflecting the wearer's status and skill. Often handmade by women at home, they blended utility with subtle ar...
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...