Piece
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Cotton
Dimensions
Overall (a): 37 1/4 x 14 1/4 in. (94.6 x 36.2 cm) Overall (b): 36 1/2 x 9 1/4 in. (92.7 x 23.5 cm) Overall (c): 37 1/4 x 13 1/2 in. (94.6 x 34.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Painted and Printed
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number
91.1.37a–c
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate cotton textile, simply titled *Piece*, originates from 18th-century Japan during the Edo period (1615–1868), a time of relative peace and cultural flourishing. Composed of three panels—measuring approximately 37 x 14 inches, 36½ x 9¼ inches, and 37¼ x 13½ inches—it belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, gifted through the Edward C. Moore Collection in 1891. As a painted and printed textile, it reflects the era's mastery of fabric arts, often used for garments, hangings, or screens. The use of cotton as a medium was practical yet elevated by sophisticat...