Vest
Unknown Artist
ca. 1857
Medium
silk
Classification
Vest
Culture
American or European
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Miss Margaret Ahrent, 1938
Accession Number
C.I.38.101.11
Art Historical Context
This elegant silk vest, dating to around 1857, hails from either American or European origins and exemplifies mid-19th-century fashion in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.ated in 1938 by Miss Ahrent, it a glimpse into the refined world of Victorian-era attire, when vests formed a crucial layer in men's three-piece suits, adding both style and structure to formal dress. Crafted from luxurious silk—a premium textile prized for its sheen, durability, and drape—this garment highlights the era's emphasis on opulent fabrics for the elite. Silk production and trade boomed in the 19...