Collar
Unknown Artist
ca. 1895
Medium
Linen
Classification
Collar
Culture
Irish
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Alastair Bradley Martin, 1965
Accession Number
2009.300.5399
Art Historical Context
This delicate linen collar, by an unknown Irish artist around 1895, exemplifies the craftsmanship of late Victorian fashion accessories. Produced during Ireland's renowned linen-making tradition—rooted in the country's abundant flax fields and skilled handweavers—this collar would have been a detachable garment piece, prized for its crisp texture and breathability. Linen's natural properties made it ideal for high-necked blouses and dresses, allowing easy washing and starching to maintain a polished appearance. In the context of 1890s women's attire, such collars reflected the era's emphasis ...