Waistcoat
1790-92
Medium
Cotton, plain weave; copperplate printed
Dimensions
58.4 × 40.6 cm (23 × 16 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
10906
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The development of colorfast copperplate textile printing led to a boom in printed textiles whose motifs reflected contemporary events and developments in politics, literature, opera, and the like. This unusual waistcoat bears images that refer to the life of Leopold II, Archduke of Austria, including his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor. The ribbon on the right reads Unser Leopold lebe (Long Live Leopold). He served as emperor for only two years before his death in 1792, so it is possible to da...
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...