Border
1675/1700
Medium
Linen, bobbin straight lace
Dimensions
9.5 × 503.4 cm (5 3/4 × 198 1/8 in.); Repeat: W.: 12.9 cm (5 1/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
31349
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Textiles gallery, where we encounter *Border*, a stunning example of linen bobbin straight lace from around 1675–1700. This exquisite piece measures just 9.5 cm high but stretches an impressive 503.4 cm long, featuring a repeating pattern every 12.9 cm. Crafted by an unknown artisan, it showcases the meticulous bobbin lace technique, where linen threads are twisted and interwoven on bobbins to form delicate, openwork designs without needles. This method, popular in 17th-century Europe—particularly in Flanders and France—allowed for precise, geometric motifs that highlight lacema...
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...