Collar

Art Historical Context

This exquisite 17th-century collar, crafted from bobbin and needle lace, exemplifies the of European textile artistry. Measuring 21 by 6½ inches (53.3 x 16.5 cm), its delicate construction blends two masterful techniques: bobbin lace where threads are intricately twisted using small bobbins on a pillow, and needle lace, stitch by stitch with a needle for fluid, sculptural effects. Likely British or Flemish in origin, it hails from a golden age of lace production in Flanders—then a hub of innovation—and reflects the era's fashion for elaborate, detachable collars that framed the face and neck. ...