Insertion
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 2 1/4 x W. 8 1/2 inches (5.7 x 21.6 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
20.186.252
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 17-century Venice with *Insertion*, a delicate strip of bobbin lace that exemplifies the city's mastery of textile arts. Crafted in Italy's lace-making capital, this narrow band—measuring just 2¼ x 8½ inches—was designed as an "insertion," a decorative element seamlessly woven into garments like collars, cuffs, or linens to add refined elegance. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1920, it now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection. Bobbin lace, the medium here, involved skilled artisans twisting and intertwinin...