Fragment of a Border with Standing and Seated Birds Amidst Vegetation
Unknown Artist
1500s
Medium
needle lace, burato (twined ground and darned in one direction); bleached linen (est.)
Dimensions
40.1 × 46.4 cm
Classification
Lace
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of J. H. Wade
Accession Number
1920.1141
About this artwork
Three distinct bird species appear in this fragment distinguished through their body, neck, and feather shapes. In the period this lace was created, there was growing interest in the scientific study of birds, called ornithology. Ornithological books and prints depicted accurate records of birds, which deviated from previous fanciful portrayals.