Fragment
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 9 x W. 3 1/4 inches (22.9 x 8.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Flemish
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Miss Julia Chester Wells, 1910
Accession Number
10.146.13
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of Flemish bobbin lace, dating to the 18th century, offers a glimpse into the exquisite craftsmanship of Europe's lace-making heartland. Measuring just 9 by 3¼ inches (22.9 x 8.3 cm), it exemplifies the intricate textiles produced in Flanders—today's Belgium—where lace was a cornerstone industry. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum Art in 1910 by Miss Julia Chester Wells, this piece resides in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, classified among textiles-laces. Bobbin lace, the medium here, involved skilled artisans twisting and braiding threads wound o...