Insertion
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 8 x W. 2 1/4 inches (20.3 x 5.7 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Italian, Genoa
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1920
Accession Number
20.186.72
Art Historical Context
This delicate strip of bobbin lace, titled *Insertion*, hails from 16th-century Genoa,—a thriving maritime republic renowned for its exquisite textile arts. Measuring just 8 by 2¼ inches (20.3 x 5.7 cm), this narrow band was designed as an "insertion," a versatile lace piece meant to be sewn between fabric edges, adorning collars, cuffs, or altar linens. Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the Renaissance-era luxury of Genoese lace, which symbolized wealth and sophistication among Europe's elite. Bobbin lace, the medium here, involves intricate braiding of threads held on small bobbi...