Bonnet

Art Historical Context

Step into the refined world of 19th-century French fashion with charming wool bonnet, crafted around 1871. During this era, at the end of the Second Empire and amid the turbulent Franco-Prussian War, bonnets remained a staple of women's daytime attire. They framed the face delicately, often perched atop elaborate hairstyles, symbolizing modesty and elegance in a rapidly modernizing society. This piece, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, exemplifies the luxury of French couture, gifted by the Estate of Mary Le Boutillier in 1945. Wool as a medium was prized for its versat...