Bekleding van arrenslee c. 1800 - 1850

This is sled upholstery, made anonymously. We don't know exactly when. It’s comprised of three red velvet cushions, richly ornamented with metallic thread and hefty tasseled fringe. Consider the making: velvet is a textile of considerable luxury, produced on specialized looms. The metallic brocade thread, too, would have been expensive, requiring careful handling. The stuffing of the cushions? Laborious. All this to soften the ride in a horse-drawn sled! The materials speak volumes about social class. It would take considerable wealth to commission this level of decoration, bespeaking a culture of conspicuous consumption. A team of textile workers would have been involved, all so that some aristocrat could ride in comfort and style. So, while this object is not “fine art” in the traditional sense, it exemplifies an aesthetic that extended to all areas of life. It also prompts us to consider the relationship between labor, luxury, and artistic expression.