Piece
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Silk on canvas
Dimensions
L. 20 x W. 11 1/2 inches (50.8 x 29.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
Spanish or 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
36.90.1373
Art Historical Context
This delicate 16th-century embroidered silk panel, simply titled *Piece*, measures by 11½ inches (50.8 x 29.2 cm) originates from either Spain or Italy. Crafted by unknown artist, it resides in the Metropolitan of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, gifted in 1936 by The United Piece Dye Works. As prime example of Renaissance textiles, it the era's opulence, when embroidery elevated everyday fabrics into treasures for homes, churches, or nobility. The medium—vibrant silk threads worked onto a canvas ground—underscores the technical prowess of period artisans. Silk, often i...