Piece
Unknown Artist
ca. 1820
Medium
Cotton
Dimensions
L. 63 1/2 x W. 25 1/2 in. 161.3 x 64.8 cm
Classification
Textiles-Printed
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Bertha S. Westfall, 1929
Accession Number
29.88
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant printed cotton textile, titled simply *Piece* and dating to around 1820, hails from Britain and exemplifies the decorative arts of the early 19th century. an impressive 63½ by 25½ inches (161.3 x 64.8 cm), its long, narrow format suggests it was designed as a curtain panel or furnishing fabric, likely adorning windows in a fashionable home. Delicate motifs of blooming flowers and architectural windows evoke a sense of whimsy and natural beauty, printed directly onto the fine cotton weave—a medium prized for its affordability and versatility during the Industrial Revolution. Print...