Cover with Border of Abstract Floral Motifs

18th century

Cover with Border of Abstract Floral Motifs, 18th century. Italy ?, 18th century. Needle lace, burato (twined ground and darned in one direction); silk (est.) and unidentified ground fiber; overall: 133.4 x 114 cm (52 1/2 x 44 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Edward S. Page 1921.84 Notable for its bright and valued colors, this cover has a needle lace border of natural and organic motifs attached to a silk cloth. The lace is divided into two registers, possibly representing stylized plants and flowers growing above ground with their roots growing in pots beneath them. The large size and square form suggest that this textile would likely have been used as a table cloth.