Piece

Unknown Artist

ca. 1805

Piece by Unknown Artist

Medium

Cotton

Dimensions

L. 20 x W. 27 inches 50.8 x 68.6 cm

Classification

Textiles-Printed

Culture

British

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of William Sloane Coffin, 1926

Accession Number

26.265.31

Tags

Flowers

Art Historical Context

This charming printed cotton textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, dates to around 1805 and hails from Britain during the early years of the Industrial Revolution. 20 by 27 inches, it the era's booming textile industry, where cotton fabrics became affordable luxuries for homes and wardrobes alike. Adorned with floral motifs—a hallmark of British decorative tastes—the piece likely served as a furnishing sample, curtain panel, or dress fabric, reflecting the Regency period's love for nature-inspired elegance amid rapid urbanization. Printed textiles like this were revolutionary, employing te...

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