Piece
Unknown Artist
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
11 x 3 1/2 in. (27.94 x 8.89 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1896
Accession Number
96.14.708
Art Historical Context
This delicate silk textile fragment, simply titled *Piece*, hails from China's Qing dynasty during the Kangxi period (1662–1722), a golden age of artistic refinement under Emperor Kangxi's patronage. Measuring just 11 x 3½ inches, this woven silk exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of imperial workshops, where silk production reached unparalleled sophistication. Woven textiles like this were prized for their luminous sheen and intricate patterns, often reserved for elite garments, furnishings, or ceremonial objects, symbolizing wealth and cultural prestige. In the Kangxi era, silk weaving...