Valance (one of a set of three)
Unknown Artist
1600–1633
Medium
Canvas worked with silk and metal thread; tent, long-and-short, and couching stitches
Dimensions
H. 12 x L. 84 inches (30.5 x 213.4 cm); Framed: H. 19 x W. 90 inches (48.3 x 228.6 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number
64.101.1276
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite valance, one of set of three from early 17th-century Britainca. 1600–3), once graced the top edge of a grand as a decorative hanging. Measuring an impressive 12 inches high by 84 inches long, it exemplifies the opulent bed furnishings prized in Jacobe-era households. Produced during a time when embroidery was a cherished domestic art, often crafted by skilled women, such textiles transformed bedrooms into showcases of wealth and creativity. Crafted on canvas with vibrant silk and shimmering metal threads, the piece employs sophisticated techniques like tent stitch for bold patt...