Silk Paintings, Woven In Lyon, 19th Century.

Pair of silk paintings depicting the portrait of Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. Woven in Lyon on the Jacquard Loom, these two portraits are framed in the period and are in a beautiful state of freshness. The exceptional quality of this weaving is attested by the label stuck on the back. Presented at the Universal Exhibitions, they are Masterpieces of Lyon Industry, requiring five months of preparation to set up the loom, with twenty-five to thirty thousand cardboards, finally six hundred shuttle strokes only form three square centimeters of fabric! (Read the label on the back) This highly technical work nevertheless brings a perfect resemblance and shows the interest that the Second Empire had in industry during the universal exhibitions highlighting French art.