Textile
Medium
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Classification
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. William P. Treadwell
Accession Number
1916-33-38-a
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This vibrant textile from the Merrim Manufacturing Company, a pioneering American firm founded in 1822 Lowell, Massachusetts, exemplifies height of 19th-century industrial textile production. Dating to 1870–80, it showcases the company's expertise in printed, dyed, and painted, likely cotton calicoes popular for clothing, home furnishings, and quilts during the post-Civil War. Merrimack was one of New England's textile powerhouses, harnessing steam-powered looms and innovative roller-printing techniques to create intricate patterns at scale—revolutionizing affordable beauty for American house...