Fragment of a Border with Floral Vine and Geometric Patterns

16th century

Fragment of a Border with Floral Vine and Geometric Patterns, 16th century. Italy, 16th century. Needle lace, burato (twined ground and darned in two directions) and reticella; bleached linen (est.); overall: 32.9 x 69.3 cm (12 15/16 x 27 5/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Myrta Leonora Jones 1920.1267 Textiles often incorporate multiple techniques within a single piece, providing visual interest, and also demonstrating the skill and versatility of the maker. This fragment incorporates both reticella, a type of geometric needle lace worked on a grid of plaited or laid thread, and a border of burato. Myrta Leonora Jones, the donor of this lace, was a women’s rights activist in Cleveland in the early 20th century.