Piece

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silk textile fragment, a modest 2 x 2 inches, hails from Japan during the 18th–19th centuries, a golden era for the country's renowned weaving traditions. Classified as a woven textile in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department, it exemplifies the meticulous craftsmanship of Edo-period (1603–1868) and early Meiji artisans. Though the artist remains unknown and the precise design is not specified, such small silk pieces were often fragments from larger garments, screens, or decorative objects, prized for their luxurious sheen and intricate patterns achieved through ...