Needle sheath

Art Historical Context

This delicate 17th-century Italian needle sheath, carved from wood and measuring 9½ inches long, exemplifies the artistry of everyday objects in Baroque-era Europe. Likely adorned with a depiction of the Madonna and Child—a ubiquitous motif in Italian religious art—it served as a protective case for sewing needles, blending functionality with devotional iconography. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, it reflects the period's fusion of sculpture and utility, gifted by Mrs. Edward S. Harkness in 1930. In 17th-century Italy, needle sh...