Border for wall fabric
1813
Medium
Silk and metal thread
Dimensions
L. 28 x W. 14 1/2 inches (71.1 x 36.8 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
French, Lyons
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1928
Accession Number
28.28.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Border for Wall Fabric*, woven in 1813 by the Lyons firm Séguin et Cie, exemplifies the pinnacle of French silk production during the early 19th century. Hailing from Lyons—Europe's silk capital—the piece measures 28 by 14½ inches and features delicate floral motifs, rendered in luxurious silk and shimmering metal threads. As a woven textile border, it was designed to elegantly frame larger wall hangings or upholstery, adding opulence to grand interiors of the Napoleonic and Restoration eras. Lyons weavers, empowered by Joseph-Marie Jacquard's revolutionary loom (patented in 1...