ticketsMember | Make a donation

Length of velvet

late 17th–early 18th century
Not on view
While Lyons was the undisputed center of the silk-weaving industry during the eighteenth century, Genoa provided much of the high-quality velvet for both furnishings and fashion. A specialty was polychrome-velvet weaving, as in this fabric, which possibly was intended to be used for an elegant wide-skirted mantua, or gown. Although the pattern repeat of stylized and seminaturalistic flowers is relatively small, it appears more complex, as it is rendered with seven different colors, a feat of technical virtuosity. The individual motifs are further modeled by juxtaposing cut and uncut ("ciselé") pile, which reflect light differently. This mutable effect is more dramatic when the fabric is in movement, as one's perception of the colors changes dramatically depending on whether the fabric is vertical or horizontal, flat or draped.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Length of velvet
  • Date: late 17th–early 18th century
  • Culture: Italian
  • Medium: Silk
  • Dimensions: W. 23 in. (58.4 cm), L. 84 in. (213.4 including turned under selvages)
  • Classification: Textiles-Velvets
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Gifts, 1992
  • Object Number: 1992.15
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Desk (Secretary), Pine; carved, painted, gilded, and varnished linden wood decorated with colored decoupage prints; mirror glass; the inside of the fall front lined with silk not original to the secretary, Italian, Venice
Desk (Secretary)
Italian, Venice
ca. 1730–35
Bookcase (one of a pair), Niccolo Michetti Italian, Walnut and poplar; iron hinges and locks, metal wire; antique silk and linen brocatelle door curtains (not original), Italian, Rome
Bookcase (one of a pair)
Niccolo Michetti
ca. 1715
Seasons and Elements (Air) (set of four), Charles Le Brun French, Canvas; silk, wool, and metal-thread embroidery in tent stitch (316 stitches per sq. inch, 49 stitches per sq. cm.), French, Paris
Seasons and Elements (Air) (set of four)
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1683
Settee (one of a pair) (part of a set), Johann Michael Bauer German, born Westheim, Carved, painted and gilded linden wood; squab pillow in silk velvet (not original), German, Würzberg
Settee (one of a pair) (part of a set)
Johann Michael Bauer
ca. 1763–64
Chasuble, Silk satin embroidered with silk and metal thread; metal lace, Italian
Chasuble
Italian
late 17th century (textile); 18th century (current appearance)

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.