Table cover
Unknown Artist
15th century (?)
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
L. 58 x W. 35 inches (147.3 x 88.9 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Velvets
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number
14.40.786b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk velvet table cover, hailing from 15th-century (?) Italy, exemplifies the Renaissance mastery of textile arts. Measuring 58 by 35 inches, it was crafted for practical yet luxurious use in elite households, draping dining tables to showcase wealth and refinement. Velvet, with its plush pile woven from fine silk threads, was a hallmark of Italian innovation, particularly in weaving centers like Venice and Lucca, where artisans perfected techniques to create shimmering surfaces that caught the light dramatically. As a piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpt...