Textile
ca. 1790
Medium
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Classification
printed, dyed & painted textiles
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Leah Slater Black
Accession Number
1953-105-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Textile* from circa 1790 exemplifies the artistry of late 18th-century American fabric production, a time when the young United States was forging its cultural identity after the Revolutionary War. Crafted by an unknown artist, it reflects the era's growing emphasis on domestic textiles for clothing, furnishings, and quilts—items that blended practicality with emerging national pride. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Smithsonian Collection, this piece was gifted by Mrs. Leah Black, underscoring its value to American decorative arts. The medium—printed, dyed, and...
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...