Metallic Brocade with Asymmetrical Floral Design
1739
Physical Qualities
Silk, metallic-wrapped silk supplementary wefts
, 134 x 21-1/4 in. (340.5 X 54 cm.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Saidie A. May
Object Number
1951.151b
A long length of gold silk 'brocade.' Asymmetrical floral designs woven in several kinds of metallic threads depict flowers with curly silver petals, darker metallic sepals, greenish metallic leaves and undulating stems. These are created by supplementary metallic-wrapped wefts which form patterns on the front and float across restricted areas of pattern on the reverse. The floral motifs are scattered over the surface of the textile in undulating patterns. A secondary pattern of leafy branches and lace-like effects is woven in weft floats in the same gold color as the background.
The two sides are selvages. The bottom edge is straight cut. The top is irregular with a long curved cut edge proceeding into a long narrow irregular strip along one selvage edge.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 1951; Saidie May.
Anita Jones, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, 'Floral Designs in Textiles,' July 25 - November 12, 1989, no catalogue.
Susan Helen Adler, "Saidie May Pioneer of Early 20th Century Collecting" Baltimore: Stonehouse Design, 2008, p. 230.
Inscribed: None.