Piece

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silk textile fragment, known simply as *Piece*, hails from Japan during the 18th–19th, a golden era for the country's renowned weaving traditions. Measuring just 8 x 5¼ inches (20.32 x 13.34 cm), its compact size suggests it may have been a sample, patch, or remnant from a larger garment like a kimono or obi. Crafted in the Asian Art department's Textiles-Woven classification at Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the meticulous artistry of Japanese silk production, gifted in 1896 by collectors Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer. Silk weaving reached extraordinary heights in Edo-...