Seated Woman
Medium
Wool, metal thread (20-25 warps per inch, 8-10 per cm.)
Dimensions
43 × 46 in. (109.2 × 116.8 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Tapestries
Culture
Russian, St. Petersburg
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Julia A. Berwind, 1953
Accession Number
53.225.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the opulent world of late 18th-century Russian court life, *Seated Woman* is exquisite tapestry produced by the Imperial Russian Tap Manufactory in Saint. Attributed to designs by the French Rococo painter Jean-Baptiste San (1651–1717), this work captures the elegance of a poised female portrait, blending Western European influences with Russian craftsmanship. Dating to the late 1700s, it reflects Empress Catherine the Great's drive to elevate Russian arts through state-sponsored manufactories modeled after France's Gobelins. Woven from wool and shimmering metal threads with a fine...