18th Century Bobbin Lace Border made in Mexico

This bobbin lace border made in Mexico in the 18th century, from the Victoria and Albert's Museum's collection, serves as an example of what a locally-manufactured bobbin lace border would have looked like in New Spain during the period in which Ibarra's De español e india, mestizo was created. The border is "embroidered in silver-gilt thread in satin," and exhibits "a floral pattern embroidered in silver-gilt" overlaid onto pink silk. While this examples shows bobbin lace overlaid onto colored silk to create visual contrast, the bobbin lace border adorning the woman's garment in Ibarra's painting is not overlaid onto silk and possesses a lighter, more ethereal visual quality.  

“Border,” Mexican, 18^th Century, Bobbin Lace, 47 in. by 6.5 in. Victoria and Albert Museum. Bequeathed by Alfred Percival Maudslay, Esq. T.56-1931.