Piece

Art Historical Context

This delicate fragment of printed cotton textile, simply titled *Piece*, hails from the 19th century and measures a modest 16¾ x 7½ inches (42.5 x 19.1 cm). Likely of British origin, it exemplifies the era's vibrant printed textiles, adorned with floral motifs that evoke natural beauty celebrated in decorative arts. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, it entered the collection as a gift The United Piece Dye Works 1936—a nod to the industrial firms that shaped textile production. In the 19th century, Britain led the world in mechanize...