Piece
Unknown Artist
16th–17th century
Medium
Silk and metal thread
Dimensions
L. 23 x W. 18 inches (58.4 x 45.7 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Velvets
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of The United Piece Dye Works, 1936
Accession Number
36.90.77
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from 16th–17th Italy, a golden era for opulent textiles during the Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Crafted from luxurious silk and shimmering metal threads, this velvet textile measures 23 x 18 inches showcases intricate floral motifs—likely blooming roses or stylized blossoms that evoke the natural splendor celebrated in Italian art of the time. Produced in workshops renowned across Europe, such velvets were prized for their rich pile and luminous sheen, transforming fabric into a canvas for artistic expression. The use of metal th...