Pair of vertical panels
Unknown Artist
early 17th century
Medium
Silk and metal thread
Dimensions
L. 126 1/2 x W. 35 3/4 inches (321.3 x 90.8 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert Pfeiffer, 1969
Accession Number
69.255.1, .2
Tags
Art Historical Context
These magnificent pair of vertical embroidered panels, created by an unknown Italian artist in the early 17th, exemplify the opulence of Baroque-era textiles. Measuring over 10 feet in length and about 3 feet wide each, they feature intricate motifs of birds and flowers, rendered in luxurious silk and metal threads. Such grand dimensions suggest they were designed as decorative hangings, perhaps for ecclesiastical settings, palazzos, or as room dividers in affluent homes, where textiles served as status symbols and visual feasts. The artistry lies in the exquisite embroidery technique, a hall...