Bonnet-coiffure van groen satijn, zijden lint, bandfluweel en kant op een zwart tulen ondergrond genaaid

About this artwork

Bonnet-coiffure, lila en groen, van zijden lint, bandfluweel en kant op een zwarte tullen ondergrond genaaid en met halfronde verstevigde rand van de voorzijde, en met afhangende slippen en linten, achterste deel van bol met elastiekje ingehaald. De gladde rand is geheel bezet met strikken en lussen groen satijnen lint en zwart bandfluweel, en afgezet met stroken witte en zwarte machinale kant. De bol is van witte tulle, is van achter met elastiekje ingenomen, en is gegarneerd met midden bovenaa...

Art Historical Context

This elegant bonnet-coiffure, crafted anonymously around 1855–1865, exemplifies the refined millinery of the mid-Victorian era. Measuring approximately 25 by 18 centimeters, the headdress features a structured satin foundation layered with silk ribbons, velvet bands, and delicate machine-made lace atop a black tulle base. Its design includes a stiffened half-round brim, dangling lappets, and adjustable ties, allowing the wearer to secure it gracefully beneath the chin while showcasing intricate loops and bows in shades of green and lilac. The piece highlights the sophisticated textile techniques of its time, with careful hand-stitching that combines smooth satin surfaces, plush velvet accents, and airy lace trims for both visual depth and tactile richness. An elastic gathering at the crown adds practical flexibility, reflecting the blend of ornament and wearability prized in women’s fashion accessories during this period. As a surviving example of everyday yet elaborate headwear, this bonnet offers insight into 19th-century European dress culture, where such creations served as statements of personal style and social refinement within the domestic sphere of dressmaking and millinery traditions.

About the Artist

anonymous

In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...