The Stafford Altar Frontal
1620/40 (appliquéd areas: late 17th century)
Medium
Silk, broken warp chevron twill weave cut solid velvet; underlaid with cotton, plain weave; appliquéd with same velvet and with silk, satin weave; underlaid with linen, plain weave; embroidered with gilt-metal strip and purl, gilt-metal-wire-wrapped linen, and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk in laidwork and couching; edged with gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk, bobbin straight lace
Dimensions
101.1 × 185.1 cm (39 3/4 × 72 7/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
137001
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...