Panel

Unknown Artist

early 17th century

Panel by Unknown Artist

Medium

Silk; metal; linen

Dimensions

19 7/8 x 70 1/8 in. (50.5 x 178.1 cm)

Classification

Textiles-Woven

Culture

Italian

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975

Accession Number

1975.1.1832

Art Historical Context

This elegant silk panel, woven in early 17th-century Italy, exemplifies the opulence of Baroque-era textiles. Measuring nearly six feet in length but only about 20 inches wide, narrow, rectangular format suggests it was designed as a decorative hanging, altar frontal, or part of a larger ecclesiastical ensemble. Crafted from luxurious silk combined with metallic threads and linen, the piece reflects Italy's mastery of fine weaving centers like Venice and Genoa, where silk production flourished amid Renaissance trade networks. The use of metal threads—likely gold or silver lamé—adds a shimmeri...

    Send Feedback

    We use this only to reply to your feedback.