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Border
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Border
- Place of origin:
Italy (made)
- Date:
early 17th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Needle lace worked in linen thread
- Credit Line:
Given by Margaret Simeon
- Museum number:
T.153-1992
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 56e, case 1
Object Type
This length of lace would probably have been used as a border on a fine linen furnishing, such as a table cover. Needle lace was being made in England from the later 16th century. It was taught and practised as a domestic embroidery skill, as well as being made in professional workshops. However, needle lace of this high quality and fluid, balanced design would have been imported from Italy. The use of such lace was extensive, and increased with the changes in fashion in clothing and furnishings in the early 17th century.
Design & Designing
The design of this lace can be compared with patterns for punto in aria ('stitches in the air') in the pattern books produced by Isabetta Catanea Parasole, for example Studio delle virtuose dame (1597) and Teatro delle nobili et virtuose donne (1616), both published in Rome.
Materials & Making
Punto in aria was the name given to the type of needle lace that developed away from the grid structure of cutwork, which was dependent on the warp and weft (lengthwise and cross threads) of the woven ground. It was worked without the support of a woven ground. This moved it on from being essentially a trimming or means of surface decoration into a fabric in its own right.
