Piece
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
L. 22 3/4 x W. 9 1/2 inches (57.8 x 24.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
Italian or Spanish
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
36.90.996
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from the 16th century and originates from either Italy or Spain—two powerhouses of Renaissance luxury weaving. Measuring 22¾ x 9½ inches, it exemplifies the era's opulent decorative arts, where silk was prized for its luster and versatility in garments, ecclesiastical vestments, and furnishings.ated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 6 by The United Piece Works, it now resides in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, classified as a woven textile. Crafted through intricate loom techniques, such as brocading ...