Sample
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Crochet
Dimensions
L. 2 3/4 to 12 1/4 x W. 1 1/4 to 9 1/2 in. (7 to 31.1 x 3.2 to 24.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Laces
Culture
German
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1909
Accession Number
09.50.3222
Art Historical Context
This delicate set of crochet lace samples, crafted by an unknown German artist in the 19th century, the intricate artistry of European textile traditions. Ranging from 2¾ to 12¼ inches in length and 1¼ to 9½ inches in width, these pieces exemplify the precision of crochet—a technique using a hooked needle to interlock loops of thread into elaborate patterns. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1909), they highlight crochet's evolution from a humble craft to a staple of decorative finery. In 19th-c...