Piece
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
Overall: 9 3/4 x 10 5/8 in. (24.8 x 27 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1909
Accession Number
09.50.1654
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from 16th-century Italy, a golden age of Renaissance artistry when luxurious fabrics adorned the elite. Woven with intricate floral and leafy motifs—evident in its delicate patterns of blooming flowers and lush foliage—it exemplifies the period's fascination with nature's beauty, symbolizing abundance and renewal. Measuring just 9 3/4 x 10 5/8 inches (24.8 x 27 cm), this small survivor likely originated as part of a larger garment, ecclesiastical vestment, or opulent furnishing, showcasing silk's status as a prized import via a...