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Gift of Mrs. D.L. Wemple
Jean Neder : The typical buttonhole stitched hexagonal reseau is identical to that of Point d'Argentan. Not typical is the inclusion of human figures and several cupids with bow and arrow. Point de France typically included human figures, often of oriental mood, as these figures might suggest. The presence of two male, two female figures, plus the cupids would suggest a romantic theme. One elegantly coiffed female is riding a bird, another seems to be seated on a decorative stool. One male figure carries a three-pronged staff, a symbol of Jupiter, so this lace may represent Juno and Jupiter in an allegory of the power of love. Both ends have been cut and turned under, there are several repairs.
Ref: Earnshaw, Identification of lace, pp. 49-50; Hall, james, Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols, p. 183; Jourdain, Old Lace, p. 63, Plate LXVI