Textile
Classification
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Elinor Merrell
Accession Number
1980-34-10
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant textile, produced by the French firm Gorgerat Fr et Cie. in Nantes 1780 and 1785, offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of late 18th-century European fabric production. Active from 1783 to 1815, the company operated in Nantes—a bustling Atlantic port city central to France's textile trade during the Enlightenment era. This period saw a boom in luxury goods, as innovations in manufacturing fueled fashion and interior design across Europe and beyond. Classified as a printed, dyed, and painted textile, the work showcases sophisticated techniques that combined block printing, resis...