Border
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silk on linen
Dimensions
L. 23 x W. 15 1/2 inches (58.4 x 39.4 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
Greek Islands, Crete
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926
Accession Number
26.34.46
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite embroidered border, in the 18th by an unknown artist from Crete in the Greek Islands, showcases the masterful textile traditions of the region. Measuring 23 by 15½ inches, it features silk threads worked onto a linen ground, a luxurious combination that highlights the skill of local embroiderers. Vibrant motifs of animals and birds—common in Cretan folk art—adorn the piece, likely intended as a decorative edge for garments, linens, or household furnishings, evoking the natural world and everyday life. During the 18th century, Crete's embroidery flourished under Ottoman influenc...