Furnishing
1650-1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Velvet is a type of fabric with a raised pile surface, created during weaving with an extra warp. The loops of the pile may be cut or left uncut, or both, as in this case, and it can be woven in different fibres to suit its purpose. Velvet was extensively used in the later 17th century for furnishing, both in silk and woollen pile. This velvet has a silk pile, defining an exuberant scrolling floral pattern in late Baroque style.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Voided velvet with a red (crimson ?) pile and the amber satin ground. |
| Brief description | Voided velvet, 1650-99, Italian, Genoese; large interlacing floral stems; cornucopia; crimson and gold |
| Physical description | Velvet, with its comfortable, hard-wearing pile was extensively used at this time for furnishing elite interiors. The colour combination of red (or crimson) on a contrasting ground, usually yellow, was a popular one. The large scale, lively floral pattern would have been eminently suited to the rich interiors decorated in the late Baroque or classical style. Apart pomegranates, cornucopias and wheat, the dominant features of the design are the large flowers, most of which indentifiable: irises, tulips, roses and crown imperials (fritillaria imperialis). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Velvet is a type of fabric with a raised pile surface, created during weaving with an extra warp. The loops of the pile may be cut or left uncut, or both, as in this case, and it can be woven in different fibres to suit its purpose. Velvet was extensively used in the later 17th century for furnishing, both in silk and woollen pile. This velvet has a silk pile, defining an exuberant scrolling floral pattern in late Baroque style. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 5662C-1859 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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