Brocatelle belongs to the lampas family, despite the association with the name of another valuable fabric, the brocade, with which it shares the same elegance and beauty.
Characteristics Of Brocatelle Fabric
Brocatelle is characterized by two warps and several wefts, one of which is always linen. The two warps have different tensions. One, with lower tension, is used to create the design that will be in relief and the other is used to bind the weft that will create the bottom of the fabric. The brocatelle is a fabric with large decorative motifs in relief, and its pattern is obtained by the juxtaposition between the first warp and first weft, both in silk, with a second series of warp and weft, the latter being much more rigid, usually hemp or linen, which gives the fabric its characteristic effect in relief. The basic weaves are satin made from the warp threads as far as the pattern is concerned, satin made from the weft threads as far as the visible ground is concerned, and binding taffeta as far as hemp or linen is concerned.
History Of Brocatelle Fabric In Italy
The brocatelle fabric, given the complex interweaving of wefts and warps that characterize it, was made on special looms called “al tiro”, which were introduced by the Arabs in Italy between the 10th and 11th centuries. Thanks to the particular workmanship, the decorative motifs could be woven directly into the cloth, rather than embroidered or applied. Later on, the “al tiro” looms were replaced by Jacquard looms, used to realize the figured fabrics.
Brocatelle began to spread in Italy in the 16th century, becoming the preferred way to embellish textiles in Italy. The elegant drapes, depicting the most fashionable motifs of the time, richly elaborated, were used both for the clothing of the wealthier classes, for sacred vestments, as well as to furnish the sumptuous palaces of the aristocracy, and churches.
Towards the end of the 16th century, furnishing fabrics began to clearly differentiate themselves from those for clothing, both in their decorative motifs and in their typology, and brocatelle became the preferred fabric for decorating walls, making drapes and valances, covering backs and seats, headboards and canopies, and appearing splendidly in the decorations and coverings of the sumptuous halls of noble palaces.
The fortune of this fabric then reached the Baroque era, reflecting the taste for exasperated pomp and excessive ornamentation typical of the time, although the use of metallic yarns in gold and silver to embellish and enliven the design, remained mainly for clothing.
Still today it is loved by designers both for exclusive interior furnishings and for the creation of haute couture garments.
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The Brocatelles Of The Bevilacqua Catalog
In our brocatelles collection we have gathered a selection of the most beloved motifs whose origins date back to different historical periods and each one is declined in several colors in order to meet different needs and adapt to various projects.
Among them, the Fiere brocatelle, which represents an original motif from the 13th century and depicts two fierce animals, probably leopards, protecting the tree of life, in an elegant, stylized composition.
The Griccia brocatelle, made of silk and linen, with a Renaissance motif representing a sinuous trunk which develops vertically and from which small pomegranates sprout, ending with a corolla surrounded by thistle flowers.
A Renaissance motif that also characterizes Sagredo brocatelle, with oriental inspiration, whose name derives from the name of a noble Venetian family; Rinascimento brocatelle, with floral and naturalistic elements; Senatori brocatelle, represented with / by the heraldic symbol of the toga of Venetian Senators and Griglia brocatelle with a structure of rhomboidal weaves typical of the motifs of that time.
The Grottesche brocatelle blends 16th-century figures of mythological and semi-human creatures with Baroque and Rococo architectural and naturalistic elements, while the Giardino brocatelle evokes the splendor of the Baroque with its explosion of flowers and leaves, a refined motif rich in detail.
Cover photo: Fiere Brocatelle - red
