Piece
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silk and metal thread
Dimensions
Overall: 5 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (13.3 x 55.2 cm) (loom width)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
French
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
36.90.207
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woven textile fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from 18th-century France and showcases the opulence of the era's decorative arts. Craft from luxurious silk and metal threads, it measures a narrow 5¼ x 21¾ inches (13.3 x 55.2 cm), reflecting the standard loom width for such fabrics. Produced by an unknown artisan, it features delicate motifs of flowers and leaves, with precision that highlights the technical mastery of French weaving traditions. In the rococo-influenced world of Louis XV's France, textiles like this were prized for their shimmering surfaces and naturalistic...