Length of Point-de-France lace

With incredible dexterity, in the technique evocatively named in French Point de France (“French stitch”), threads are looped together in increasingly complicated patterns within a hexagonal background mesh, resulting in the light, open and gauzy effect. The new and modern field of lace-making, only developed in Europe in the fifteenth century, was dominated by women, most of whom were professionals. Designs, on the other hand, tended to be reproduced from printed pattern books, also used for woven silks and velvets of the period. Here, foliate scrolls and curlicues border a repeat pattern of open blooms and pomegranates. Given its length and broad format, this was almost certainly created as a flounce intended to be applied around the edges or front border of a fine linen textile for use as a furnishing cloth within a luxurious (and probably domestic) space.