Piece
Unknown Artist
18th century (?)
Medium
Silk and metal thread, bobbin lace
Dimensions
L. 11 3/4 x W. 1/2 inches (29.8 x 1.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
European
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
36.90.2007
Art Historical Context
This delicate strip of bobbin lace, titled *Piece*, exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of 18th European textiles. Measuring just 11¾ by ½ inches, it was woven from fine silk and shimmering metal threads using the bobbin lace technique—a labor-intensive method where threads are manipulated on handheld bobbins to create intricate patterns of twists, plaits, and picots. The narrow form suggests it served as a luxurious trimming for garments, ruffles, or ecclesiastical vestments, highlighting lace's role as a status symbol among the European elite. In the opulent world of the 18th century, b...