Border
Unknown Artist
16th–17th century
Medium
Drawnwork, linen and silk
Dimensions
L. 10 x W. 2 inches 25.4 x 5.1 cm
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Italian or Greek
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1909
Accession Number
09.50.71
Art Historical Context
This delicate linen and silk border, crafted in the 16th or 17th century, exemplifies the exquisite drawnwork technique popular in Renaissance-era Europe. Drawnwork involves meticulously withdrawing threads from the fabric's ground weave and stitching the remaining yarns into intricate geometric patterns, creating a lacy effect without full bobbin or needlepoint lace. Measuring just 10 by 2 inches, this strip was likely designed as a trimming for garments, linens, or ecclesiastical vestments, showcasing the era's fascination with refined, translucent textiles. Attributed to an Italian or Gree...