Piece

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silk fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from Japan during the 18th–19th centuries, a time when the nation’s textile arts flourished under the Edo and early Meiji periods. Measuring just 2¼ x 1¼ inches, this diminutive woven textile exemplifies the and finesse of Japanese craftsmanship. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1896 by Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, it entered one of the earliest Western collections of Asian art, reflecting the growing fascination with Japonisme among collectors. As a woven silk textile, it showcases the advanced looms and dyeing technique...