Lace Borders
Mid-18th century
Linen, bobbin straight lace of a type known as "Valenciennes" with a Five-Hole mesh ground
8.4 × 179.8 cm (3.3 × 70.8 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
The lace decorations that ornamented women’s dresses were separate from the dresses themselves. They required many yards of lace and, since fine lace was expensive, people sought substitutes that mimicked the light, translucent nature of the fabric. Here, the sleeve ruffles are made of a woven linen that has been skillfully embroidered to look like lace.
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