Cap crown
Unknown Artist
early 18th century
Medium
Needle lace, point d’Alençon
Dimensions
L. 10 1/2 x W. 8 1/2 inches (26.7 x 21.6 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1906
Accession Number
06.686
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Cap crown*, crafted in the early 18th century by an unknown French artisan, exemplifies the opulence of French decorative arts during the Regency period. Measuring just 10½ by 8½ inches, this small yet intricate piece was designed as the crowning element of a fashionable cap or headdress, often adorning the elite in Versailles courts or Parisian salons. Made from needle lace in the prestigious point d’Alençon technique, it the height of luxury textiles, where lace rivaled jewels as a status symbol. Point d’Alençon, originating from the Normandy town of Alençon, is renowned for ...