Border Fragment
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Linen
Dimensions
9 5/8 x 13 in. (24.5 x 33 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Italian
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1787
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Border Fragment*, crafted by an unknown Italian artist in the 17th, exemplifies the exquisite lace-making traditions of Renaissance and Baroque Italy. Made from fine linen thread, this 9⅝ × 13-inch (24.5 × 33 cm) piece was likely part of a larger border for garments, altar cloths, or furnishings, where such laces served as symbols of wealth and refinement among the elite. Italian lace from this era, particularly punto in aria (needle lace), reached unparalleled heights of intricacy, blending mathematical precision with floral motifs inspired by nature and classical motifs. The ...