July 23, 2015 / 0 Comments

Gold-brocaded velvet (detail),
Italy, ca. 1430–1440. Large blooms, leaves, tiny flowers, raspberries and patterned vines make up a pattern repeat that is an incredible 2.20 m high. The sophisticated, differing pile heights relate to the height of the metal bars that the threads were raised over. Gold thread has been used as a supplementary warp and the metal is visible on the voided areas. Abegg-Stiftung, 1976