Piece
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silk / Compound weave
Dimensions
1 3/8 × 2 3/4 in. (3.5 × 7 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Kihei Hattori, in memory of his father, Kihei Hattori, 1920
Accession Number
20.148.577
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from Japan's Edo period (1615–8), a time of remarkable artistic flourishing and urban sophistication. Crafted in the 18th century by an unknown artist, this diminutive woven work—measuring just 1 3/8 × 2 3/4 inches—likely served as a sample or detail from a larger garment, such as a kimono ori sash. Its tag of "Leaves" suggests delicate motifs inspired by nature, a hallmark of Japanese design that celebrated seasonal beauty and the transient elegance of flora. The medium, silk with compound weave, showcases advanced weaving te...