Apron

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stewart Culin (1858-1929) was the Brooklyn Museum's first Curator of Ethnology from 1903 to 1929. Culin conducted collecting expeditions, traveling throughout the United States and the world. His goals for these trips were not just to expand the Museum's holdings, but to also provide context for these objects within their cultures. In addition to choosing rare and high-quality pieces, Culin sought artifacts with interesting provenance as well. In 1921 Culin traveled to England, France, Czechoslovakia, and Budapest, Hungary, where he acquired this apron. The beautiful design and color, as well as the integration of sequins and metallic threads create a very effective appearance. The ribbed and raised ground fabric provides an interesting textural contrast to free-form flower garden embroidery.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art