Lace
Twin Towers & the Statue of Liberty
- Description
- Framed handmade tombolo lace design created by Angiolina Pollino and titled Twin Towers & the Statue of Liberty, 2003. The lace design depicts the Twin Towers set within the skyline, with a bridge in the foreground and the Statue of Liberty in the center. The majority of the design is white lace with gold detailing. The piece is framed, and a purple "Best in Show" ribbon is attached to the top right corner of the frame.
- Historical Notes
- Italian artist Angiolina Pollino spent nearly two years creating this intricate trombolo lace. Titled, The Twin Towers and Statue of Liberty, it won “Best in Show” at the Eastern State Exposition in 2003. Pollino considers this lace work to be her masterpiece and intended it to be enjoyed by those who wished to remember the Twin Towers in their prime.
Curator's Comment
Born and raised just north of Naples in Isernia, Italy, Angiolina Pollino began studying the ancient art of tombolo lace making when she was eight years old. According to her daughter Rossana, Pollino as a little girl would watch the older women in her community working together on intricate tombolo lace creations on the front stoops of their homes. Transfixed by the craft, Pollino continued to hone her own skills into adulthood, receiving international recognition for her lacemaking.
Tombolo lace, also known as bobbin lace, is made by crossing and twisting cotton, linen, or silk threads that are wound around wooden bobbins, sometimes referred to as spindles. While the exact number of bobbins varies, the final quantity is usually an even amount. Extremely elaborate pieces can utilize up to one hundred bobbins—sometimes more. The pattern is affixed to a cylindrical pillow with pins.
Tombolo lace, also known as bobbin lace, is made by crossing and twisting cotton, linen, or silk threads that are wound around wooden bobbins, sometimes referred to as spindles. While the exact number of bobbins varies, the final quantity is usually an even amount. Extremely elaborate pieces can utilize up to one hundred bobbins—sometimes more. The pattern is affixed to a cylindrical pillow with pins.
- Accession Number: C.2019.84.1
- Dimensions: 29 in X 24 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 73.66 cm X 60.96 cm
- Source: Rossana Pollino
- Credit Line: Gift of Angiolina Pollino
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