Piece

Art Historical Context

This delicate silk textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from Japan during the 18th–19th, a time when Edo-period craftsmanship flourished alongside the dawn of the Meiji era. Measuring just 4 3/4 x 3 1/4 inches, it exemplifies the exquisite finesse of Japanese woven textiles, likely intended as a swatch for clothing, accessories, or decorative purposes. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum Art in 1896 by Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, reflects early Western fascination with Asian artistry. The artwork's woven silk medium highlights Japan's mastery of sericulture and loom techniques, pro...