Velvet as we know it possibly originated in China, coming to Europe via invasion and trade by the 13th century, although a cloth called kutuf (Arabic for velvet) was made in Damascus during the late 7th and early 8th centuries AD. Surviving documents from 1311 show that Pope Clement V owned velvet items, including two red pieces made in Lucca, northern Italy. Flourishing near Pisa, Lucca had been famous for silk textiles since the early 12th century, with large-scale velvet production beginning there in the early 14th century. The Tuscan city’s velvet was soon in demand throughout Europe, spread by merchants, fairs and the commissions of the wealthy and elite. When Richard II died in 1400, he left instructions that he was to be buried wearing velvet.
'When Richard II died, he left instructions that he was to be buried wearing velvet'
However, by the mid 14th century, Lucca’s domination of the velvet market began to wane due to a period of economic difficulty, partly caused by political strife and competition between towns. After the Black Death of 1348 took its toll, many velvet and silk weavers and merchants migrated to Venice, Genoa, Florence and Milan, where they established a flourishing velvet trade by the end of the century.
Denne historien er fra February 09, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra February 09, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery