Piece
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
3 1/2 x 2 3/4 in. (8.89 x 6.99 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1896
Accession Number
96.14.922
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate silk textile fragment, titled *Piece*, hails from Japan during the 18th19th centuries, a period when Edo-period craftsmanship transitioned into Meiji-era innovation. Measuring just 3½ x 2¾ inches, this woven silk exemplifies the precision of Japanese textile arts, where fine threads create intricate patterns on a diminutive scale. Likely a snippet from a larger garment or decorative object, its compact size underscores the portability and everyday elegance of such fabrics in Japanese life. The motif of bats—indicated by the artwork's tags—carries profound cultural symbolism in J...