Fan leaf
Unknown Artist
second half 19th century
Medium
Hair, bobbin lace
Dimensions
7 1/2 × 23 in. (19.1 × 58.4 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
French, Chantilly
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. B. F. Breslauer, 1958
Accession Number
58.6.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite fan leaf, crafted in the second half of the 19th, hails from Chantilly, France—a region renowned for its masterful bobbin lace traditions. Measuring 7½ × 23 inches, this delicate textile exemplifies the opulence of European decorative arts, designed as the unfolding "leaf" of a fashionable hand fan. Produced anonymously by skilled artisans, it features intricate floral and leaf motifs, capturing the Victorian era's love for nature-inspired elegance in personal accessories. What sets this piece apart is its unusual medium: human hair, meticulously worked into bobbin lace. Bobbin...