Lappet
Unknown Artist
late 19th century
Medium
Linen
Classification
Lappet
Culture
Belgian
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Charles C. Harris, 1968
Accession Number
2009.300.5645
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Lappet**, crafted from fine linen by an unknown Belgian artist in the late th century, exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of Belgium's renowned lace-making tradition. Lappets were ornamental flaps or streamers, often adorning women's headwear, collars, or dresses, adding elegance and movement to Victorian-era attire. Made from linen—a durable yet intricately workable fiber—this piece highlights the precision of bobbin or needle lace techniques, where threads are painstakingly twisted and interwoven to create airy, floral motifs typical of Belgian lacemakers from regions li...