Band with Various Fantastic Creatures and Vegetal Patterns

19th century

Band with Various Fantastic Creatures and Vegetal Patterns, 19th century. Italy, 19th century. Needle lace, filet/lacis (knotted ground and darned in two directions); bleached linen (est.); overall: 24.7 x 316.5 cm (9 3/4 x 124 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Louise Tifft Brown 1933.343 The reversed and backward orientation of many of the squares in this band of lace suggests that this was not their original layout. They were most likely taken apart and later joined back together in a disoriented manner. The square showing a man in midair above a bull-like creature is reminiscent of the Minoan "Bull Leaping" fresco at the Knossos palace complex.