Unknown American
Seat Cover

Public Domain

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Maker Unknown American

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

Not on view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

TEXTILES

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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