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Fragment of Band with Vegetal Motifs
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Textiles often incorporate multiple needlework techniques within a single piece. The insert in the center of this piece of lace is made using the cutwork technique. In cutwork, portions of the textile ground, such as a linen or cotton cloth, are cut away and threads are removed to create holes. The edges of the hole are then reinforced with embroidery and a pattern of needle lace can be created within the perimeter. Rather than adding to the cloth to create a design, the craftsperson removes threads to fabricate a pattern. The cutwork may have been inserted to replace a damaged area.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineFragment of Band with Vegetal Motifs, 1600s. Spain. Bleached linen (est.): needle lace, filet/lacis (knotted ground and darned in two directions) and cutwork insertion; overall: 31.5 x 55.6 cm (12 3/8 x 21 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Myrta Leonora Jones, 1919.778