Not currently on display at the V&A

Flounce

ca. 1880 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The V&A bought this unfinished piece of needle lace in 1884. It dates from about 1880 but is an exact copy of an 18th-century flounce. The early flounce belonged to Queen Margherita of Savoy. It had formerly belonged to Pope Clement XIII.

The Burano Lace School, on the island of Burano outside Venice, made the V&A piece. The school was set up for charitable reasons and with royal patronage after the severe winter of 1872. The Venetian lagoon froze and the communities dependent on fishing were badly affected. The school revived the skill that had made Venice the major producer of needle lace in the 16th and 17th centuries. It produced lace of every sort, and its lacemakers faithfully copied high-quality historical pieces, like this flounce. By the 1890s the school was also making lace in contemporary style. It continued to produce pieces of style and quality well into the 20th century.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Needle lace
Brief description
Unfinished needle lace flounce, attached to yellow parchment, made by Burano Lace School, Italy, ca. 1880
Physical description
Unfinished flounce, still attached to its linen parchment.
Dimensions
  • Height: 55cm
  • Width: 69.5cm
Object history
Purchased at the International Exhibition in Turin in 1884.
Summary
The V&A bought this unfinished piece of needle lace in 1884. It dates from about 1880 but is an exact copy of an 18th-century flounce. The early flounce belonged to Queen Margherita of Savoy. It had formerly belonged to Pope Clement XIII.

The Burano Lace School, on the island of Burano outside Venice, made the V&A piece. The school was set up for charitable reasons and with royal patronage after the severe winter of 1872. The Venetian lagoon froze and the communities dependent on fishing were badly affected. The school revived the skill that had made Venice the major producer of needle lace in the 16th and 17th centuries. It produced lace of every sort, and its lacemakers faithfully copied high-quality historical pieces, like this flounce. By the 1890s the school was also making lace in contemporary style. It continued to produce pieces of style and quality well into the 20th century.
Collection
Accession number
110-1884

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Record createdNovember 27, 2003
Record URL
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