Handkerchief
1676
Medium
Linen, plain weave; cut and drawn work; embroidered silk and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk in cross, satin, buttonhole, overcast, detached overcast, and four-sided stitches; edged with applied silk and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk braid
Dimensions
43.5 × 44.4 cm (17 1/8 × 17 1/2 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
189928
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of 17th textiles with this exquisite *Handkerchief* from 1676, now housed in the Art Institute Chicago's Textiles Department. Measuring a neat 43.5 × 44.4 cm, this square linen piece exemplifies the luxury of everyday accessories during the Baroque era, when fine handkerchiefs served not just practical purposes but also as fashionable statements of status and refinement. Often carried by the elite, they might hold perfumes or be waved in social gestures, blending utility with opulence. Crafted from plain-weave linen, the handkerchief showcases masterful embroidery ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...