Sleeve Ruffle
Mid-18th century
Medium
Linen plain weave foundation; embroidered in linen with shadow, chain, and buttonhole stitches, and drawnwork with various fillings
Dimensions
88.9 × 15.9 cm (35 × 6 1/4 in.)
Classification
costume accessory
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
92994
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The lace decorations that ornamented women’s dresses were separate from the dresses themselves. They required many yards of lace and, since fine lace was expensive, people sought substitutes that mimicked the light, translucent nature of the fabric. Here, the sleeve ruffles are made of a woven linen that has been skillfully embroidered to look like lace.
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...