Piece
Unknown Artist
1750–75
Medium
Silk and metal thread
Dimensions
13 1/2 x 14 inches (34.3 x 35.6 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1920
Accession Number
20.57.175
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woven textile panel, titled simply *Piece*, hails from France between 1750 and 1775, a golden era of Rococo opulence under Louis XV. Crafted from luxurious silk and shimmering metal threads, it measures a modest 13½ x 14 inches, yet captures the intricate beauty of floral motifs—vibrant flowers and delicate leaves—that defined French decorative arts. Produced by an unknown artisan, likely from the renowned weaving centers like Lyon, it exemplifies the technical mastery of Jacquard-like looms or drawlooms, where metal threads added a reflective gleam, mimicking jewel-toned embroi...