Fragment
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 13 1/4 x W. 2 3/8 inches (33.7 x 6.0 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Italian, Genoa
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lady Alan Johnstone, 1920
Accession Number
20.74.25
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of bobbin lace hails from 17th-century Genoa, Italy, a thriving maritime republic renowned for its exquisite textile arts. Measuring just 13¼ by 2⅜ inches (33.7 x 6.0 cm), this slender strip exemplifies the opulence of Genoese lace-making, which flourished amid the city's booming trade networks. Lace like this adorned the collars, cuffs, and hems of elite fashion across Europe, symbolizing wealth and status during the Baroque era's lavish displays. Crafted using the bobbin lace technique—where threads are twisted and interwoven on a pillow with pins to guide intricate p...