Insertion
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 8 1/2 x W. 2 inches 21.6 x 5.1 cm
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
Italian, Venice
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1920
Accession Number
20.186.235
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of 16th Venetian lace with *Insertion*, a exquisite example of bobbin lace crafted in Italy's lagoon city, a renowned hub of lace production during the Renaissance. Measuring just 8½ by 2 inches (21.6 x 5.1 cm), this delicate strip was designed as an "insertion"—a narrow band meant to be seamlessly sewn between fabric edges in garments, linens, or ecclesiastical textiles, adding elegance and opulence. Bobbin lace, the medium here, exemplifies a masterful technique where threads are twisted and plaited using small bobbins, allowing for complex, geometric patterns ...