Bedcover
Unknown Artist
1725–50
Medium
Silk and metal-wrapped thread on linen
Dimensions
L. 79 x W. 67 1/2 inches (200.7 x 171.5 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Everfast Fabrics Inc. Gift, 1970
Accession Number
1970.173
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bedcover, crafted in Britain between 1725 and1750, exemplifies the opulent embroidery traditions of the early 18th century. Woven from silk and shimmering metal-wrapped threads on linen ground, it measures an impressive 79 by 67½ inches—perfectly sized for adorning a grand four-poster bed. The motifs, a hallmark of British textile design, burst with intricate needlework, showcasing the anonymous artisan's mastery of techniques like satin stitch and couching to create depth and luster. In Georgian-era households, such bedcovers were prized status symbols, transforming bedrooms i...