Piece
Unknown Artist
ca. 1860–70
Medium
Cotton
Dimensions
L. 14 3/4 x W. 8 3/4 inches 37.5 x 22.2 cm
Classification
Textiles-Printed
Culture
French, Mulhouse or Thann
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
36.90.862
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate printed cotton textile, simply titled *Piece*, hails from Mulhouse or Thann in France around 1860–70, a golden era for the region's renowned textile industry. Measuring just 14¾ by 8¾ inches, it showcases vibrant floral and tree motifs—a hallmark of 19th-century decorative patterns that brought nature's beauty into homes. Mulhouse, in Alsace, was a hub for innovative printed cottons, producing high-quality fabrics like indiennes that rivaled imported Indian textiles and fueled Europe's fashion and furnishing markets. Printed on cotton using techniques like woodblock or early rol...