Borders
1850s/60s
Medium
Cotton, needle lace of a type known as "Point de Gaze"
Dimensions
a: 4.9 × 27.4 cm (2 × 10 7/8 in.); b: 4.7 × 13.7 cm (1 7/8 × 5 3/8 in.); Repeat: W.: 3.2 cm (1 1/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
26061
Art Historical Context
Step into the delicate world of 19th-century textiles with *Borders*, a pair of cotton lace trims from the 1850s or 1860s, now housed in the Art Institute Chicago's Textiles Department. These narrow borders—measuring about 5 cm high and up to 27 cm long, with a repeating 3.2 cm pattern—were likely designed as decorative edgings for garments, linens, or furnishings during the Victorian era. This period saw a surge in ornamental lace, reflecting the era's fascination with elegance and refinement in everyday luxury. Crafted in "Point de Gaze," a renowned needle lace technique originating from Br...
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...