Border
1575/1625
Medium
Linen, needle lace worked on a laid and plaited thread grid with detached points
Dimensions
8.5 × 125.7 cm (3 3/8 × 49 1/2 in.); Repeat: W.: 12.2 cm (4 3/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
105983
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Border* from the Art of Chicago, dating between 1575 and 1625, is a masterful example of early needle lace crafted from linen. Measuring a slender 8.5 × 125.7 cm with a repeating motif every 12.2 cm, this long, narrow strip was likely designed as a decorative edging for elite garments, altar cloths, or furnishings during the Renaissance-to-Baroque transition. technique—needle lace worked on a laid and plaited thread grid with detached points—represents a pinnacle of 16th- and 17th-century lacemaking innovation. Artisans first created a structured grid of threads, then stitche...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...