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A
little history: The Renaissance (French for "rebirth"), was
a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century,
beginning in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spreading to the
rest of Europe. This “rebirth” is why you’ll see so
much ornamentation using plant life and flowers, symbols for rebirth.
The textile: A 16th century Italian, probably Lucca,
length of raspberry and ochre silk lampas made into a table runner.
Woven with a curvilinear lattice of stylized acanthus leaves and flowers
enclosing two-handled vases containing bouquets of flowers and crowns,
typical motifs of the period. Edged with an 18th century metallic galon/trim,
more than likely from a vestment church garment, with a meandering stylized
ribbon interspersed with flowers, back with a matching raspberry colored
cotton lining.
Condition:
This piece is comprised of three pieces, quite common since this fabric
more than likely came from a dress. I’ve shown in the sixth picture
what looks like a run but it’s actually the ground silk weave.
Silk lampas gets its design from a slightly raised or float weft that
makes the pattern. What you’re seeing is some of the silk weft
missing but you still have the silk ground. Not an imperfection really,
simply age. There are two dime size black spots that I’ve chosen
to leave alone. The lighter coloring on the metallic galon/trim comes
from being folded, the parts are lighter from not being exposed to air
which tarnishes metal.
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