Piece
Unknown Artist
ca. 1795
Medium
Cotton
Dimensions
L. 31 x W. (loom) 30 3/4 inches (78.7 x 78.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Printed
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1963
Accession Number
63.54.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming printed cotton textile, simply titled *Piece*, dates to around 1795 and hails from Britain, a period when the textile industry was booming amid the early Industrial Revolution. Measuring about 31 by 30¾ inches, this square fragment exemplifies the artistry of British calico printing, where intricate designs were transferred onto cotton fabric using wooden blocks or emerging copperplate techniques. Floral motifs, as suggested by its tags, were immensely popular, drawing from nature's abundance and reflecting the era's fascination with botanical elegance in home furnishings and fas...