Fragment
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Silk, bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 12 x W. 4 inches (30.5 x 10.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
French, Chantilly
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Georgiana Schuyler, 1900
Accession Number
00.1.23
Art Historical Context
This delicate silk bobbin lace fragment, from 19th-century Chantilly, France, exemplifies exquisite craftsmanship of one of Europe's most renowned lace-making traditions. Measuring just 12 by 4 inches, this narrow strip showcases the intricate, floral motifs typical of Chantilly lace—fine threads twisted and plaited by hand using bobbins to create a lightweight, sheer fabric with a scalloped edge. Bobbin lace, a labor-intensive technique dating back centuries, allowed artisans to produce complex patterns without needles, highlighting the skill of anonymous makers in workshops around the town o...