Fragment
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Bobbin lace
Dimensions
9 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches (24.1 x 7.0 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Nuttall Collection, Gift of Mrs. Magdalena Nuttall, 1908
Accession Number
08.180.511
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, this delicate *Fragment* of bobbin lace exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of th-century Italy. Measuring just 9½ x 2¾ inches (24.1 x 7.0 cm), this small textile remnant, gifted from the Nuttall Collection 1908, invites visitors to marvel at its intricate patterns woven from fine threads. Bobbin lace, a technique where threads are twisted and plaited using small bobbins on a pillow, emerged in Renaissance Italy and Flanders as a pinnacle of luxury handiwork, rivaling painting in its precision. During the ...