Seat Cover

CultureAmerican
Titles
  • Seat Cover
Datec. 1740–1780
Probable placeNorwich, Connecticut, United States
MediumWool, silk, cotton, and linen
DimensionsOverall (without backing): 15 1/4 × 19 3/4 in. (38.7 × 50.2 cm)
Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Miss Ima Hogg
Object numberB.69.138.3
Non exposé

Explore Further

Department
Bayou Bend
Object Type
DescriptionThis embroidered seat cover features a floral bouquet bursting out of a diminutive blue and white vase evocative of Chinese porcelain. This is an example of crewelwork, a kind of surface embroidery stitched with wool. Similar seat covers were produced in England in the early 18th century, but this example was worked by a woman in Connecticut with the initials M.M.L., probably a member the prominent Leffingwell family. American crewelwork can be distinguished from English examples in several ways, including the backing material. Americans typically worked their compositions on linen, whereas the English used a coarser fabric called fustian.

Provenance[John Kenneth Byard (1905–1960), Silvermine, Norwalk, Connecticut]; purchased by Miss Ima Hogg, September 18, 1953; given to MFAH, 1969.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
[no inscriptions]
Ink stamp on linen: MML

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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