Pouch

Unknown

1820–40 · glass, linen, silk · Costume Institute

The imagery seen here depicts early-19th century American life. The narrative is continuous over the whole of the bag and is unified by the body of water and the bridge. A notable detail in this pastoral scene is the figure of the shepherd carrying what appears to be an injured lamb suspended from a pole. Margaret S. Bedell (1861-1932) donated, by gift or bequest, over 500 objects to the Brooklyn Museum, including furniture, quilts, samplers, costume and Native American beadwork. Her collection of American and European beaded bags includes examples from Philadelphia and the Catskill Mountain region of New York State, as well as Italy, Austria, Germany, and Holland.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1820–40

Medium

glass, linen, silk

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Margaret S. Bedell, 1930