Piece
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Silk and metal thread, bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 10 x W. 1 1/4 inches (25.4 x 3.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1908
Accession Number
08.103.533
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Piece* of bobbin lace, crafted in France during the 18th–19th, exemplifies the pinnacle of European textile artistry. Measuring just 10 by 1¼ inches (25.4 x 3.2 cm), it was likely used as a luxurious trimming for garments, such as collars, cuffs, or hems, where its fine patterns would catch the light and accentuate opulent fashion. Bobbin lace, the medium here, is a labor-intensive technique in which silk and metal threads are wound onto small bobbins and meticulously twisted and plaited by hand to form intricate motifs. French lacemakers, renowned worldwide during this era, el...