Textile
ca. 1851
Medium
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Classification
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Harvey Smith
Accession Number
1968-135-121
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Textile* from around 1851, housed in the Smithsonian American Art's Smithsonian Collection, exemplifies mid-19th-century craftsmanship through its printed, dyed, and painted. Donated by Harvey Smith, this piece remains under active research, inviting us to appreciate its mystery while highlighting the era's innovative textile arts. Created when America's textile industry was booming amid the Industrial Revolution, such works blended hand-painted details with printed patterns, often produced for home furnishings, clothing, or decorative panels. The combination of printing—likel...
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...