Embroidered Picture Depicting an Allegory of Music
17th century, c. 1640
Medium
Probably linen, plain weave; appliquéd with silk, warp-float faced 4:1 satin weave over bast fiber padding; embroidered with silk, silk-wrapped-metal-wire coils, silvered-metal-strip-wrapped silk and feathers in bullion, buttonhole, detached twisted trammed buttonhole, encroaching Gobelin, individual back, raised stem and tent stitches; laid work and couching; embellished with mica
Dimensions
21.9 × 35.2 cm (8 5/8 × 13 7/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
84225
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...