Letter case
19th century
Medium
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Classification
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1924-11-7
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This charming 19th-century *Letter Case* from the Smithsonian American Museum invites us into the intimate world of personal correspondence during an era when letter-writing was a cherished art form. Crafted from printed, dyed, and painted, this functional yet decorative object likely served as a portable holder for letters, reflecting the growing importance of mail in American life amid expanding postal networks and romantic epistolary culture. The medium—textiles adorned through printing, dyeing, and—highlights skilled artisanal techniques common in 19th-century American decorative arts. Th...
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...