Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
cotton
Dimensions
Length: 11 1/4 x 9 1/4 in. (28.6 x 23.5 cm)
Classification
Accessory-Waist
Culture
Russian
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Miss Isabel Hapgood, 1911
Accession Number
11.168.2
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume, this unassuming yet fascinating "Pocket" hails from 19th-century Russia. Crafted from cotton by an unknown artist, it measures compact 11¼ x 9¼ inches (28.6 x 23.5 cm) and is classified as a waist accessory. Donated in 1911 by Miss Isabel Hapgood—a renowned translator of Russian literature like Tolstoy's works—this piece offers a tangible link to everyday life in imperial Russia. In an era integrated clothing pockets, women across Europe and Russia relied on these detachable pouches, tied securely around the waist beneath voluminous skirts....