Piece
Unknown Artist
16th–17th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
L. 8 1/4 x W. 4 1/2 inches (21.0 x 11.4 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Velvets
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of The United Piece Dye Works, 1936
Accession Number
36.90.451
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk velvet fragment, simply titled *Piece*, hails from Italy during the opulent 16th–17th centuries, a golden age for European textile arts. Measuring just 8¼ x 4½ inches (21.0 x 11.4 cm), it the mastery of Italian weavers, who produced velvets prized Europe for their luxurious pile and intricate patterns. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Sculpture and Decorative Arts—gifted by The Piece Dye Works in 1936—this small survivor offers a tangible glimpse into Renaissance and early Baroque craftsmanship. Velvet, woven from fine silk threads, was a hallmark of Italian lux...