Piece

Art Historical Context

This delicate silk textile fragment, simply titled *Piece*, originates from Japan during the 18th19th century—a period spanning the late Edo era and early Meiji transition, when textile production flourished as a cornerstone of Japanese craftsmanship. Classified as a woven textile in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Department, it measures a modest 6 3/4 x 4 1/4 inches (17.15 x 10.80 cm), suggesting it may be a sample or remnant from a larger garment or decorative object. Silk, prized for its luster and durability, was a prestigious medium in Japanese culture, woven on intricate looms t...