Fragment
Unknown Artist
mid-16th century
Medium
Linen and wool
Dimensions
Overall: 6 3/4 x 4 in. (17.1 x 10.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
Spanish
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of H.A. Elsberg, 1928
Accession Number
28.180.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Fragment* from mid-16th-century Spain, woven from linen and wool, measures a modest 6 3/4 x 4 inches (17.1 x 10.2 cm). Though created by an unknown artist, it reveals the masterful craftsmanship of Spanish textile weavers during the Renaissance era. Delicate motifs of animals and flowers intertwine across its surface, evoking the natural world in vibrant, repeating patterns typical of the period's decorative arts. In 16th-century Spain, under the Habsburg monarchy, textiles like this were essential for clothing, furnishings, and ecclesiastical use, blending European traditions...