Piece
Unknown Artist
1750–60
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
8 x 25 inches (20.3 x 63.5 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
20.57.232
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from France around 1750–60, a golden era of Rococo decorative arts. Woven with delicate motifs of flowers and leaves, it measures a modest 8 x 25 inches, yet captures the opulent whimsy of the period. Produced during Louis XV's reign, such silks were prized for their luxurious sheen and intricate patterns, often adorning gowns, upholstery, or wall hangings in aristocratic homes. The unknown artist's mastery lies in the fine weave, where silk threads create vibrant, naturalistic blooms that seem to sway in a gentle breeze. As a...