gift and loan to the textile departme essay
The Linen Collection features recieved as being a gift via Miss Louise M. Nathurst seventy-four THE Textile Collection has received as being a gift pieces of Italian bath towels, some of them internet dating, possibly, in the fifteenth or sixteenth 100 years. These shower towels are of white sheets and pillowcases loosely twisted and weaved in diaper patterns numerous plain and decorative bands woven in blue cotton on the ends. Animals and parrots, both genuine and fictional, are used inside the designs, just like hares, dogs, horses, elephants, unicorns, dragons, eagles, peacocks, cocks and griffons, likewise men, when playing foot and horseback, and ladies and mermaids. The numbers are set up, as a rule, one on one, and are separated by forest, flowers, fountains or battlemented towers with birds upon them.
In some bands letters are weaved, sometimes it would seem for attractive effect only, but oftener to form some word or words. Via old stocks and pictures. these kinds of towels manage to have been used in the houses while towels, napkins and tablecloths, as well as in the churches exactly where they were suited for the altars and in the service. This kind of latter use of the shower towels we find illustrated in older paintings by simply Simone Martini in the 14th century and the fifteenth century, by Ghirlandaio, Francesco and Raffaello Botticini, Stefano di Giovanni di E?ia, by Leonardo da Vinci in The Last Dinner at Milan and in a Crucifixion by simply Antonio ag Fabriano on the Museo Piersanti, Matelica.
Since Simone Martini was born in 1 283-84, it would seem that similar towels were in common use as soon as the end of the thirteenth century, but judging from the styles, non-e, of people given to the Museum by simply Miss Nathurst are of your earlier day than the fifteenth century. It is impossible to talk about as yet wherever these bath towels were initially made, although a lot of Italians talk about them by Perugia as well as the industry continues to be carried on in that place. Through the kindness of Mr. C. F. Williams of Norristown, Pa., there are lent for the Museum, through the J. Lees Williams Collection, three incredibly valuable carpets. The largest piece, a fragment, put up on the east wall with the Textile Photo gallery, is a great Ispahan, of great beauty of design and color, and was at one time lent for the Museum by Mr. Deb. K. Kelekian, the former owner.
The second one, also Ispahan, is framed in the entry between the Textile and Porcelain Galleries. It has a soft red ground with animals, of symbolic value, and an extremely strong border, the design of that has been a favorite inside the pieces many valued by Persians. The third one is Hispano-Moresque and is hung on the east wall with the Metal Area. This piece, although much worn, continues to be rich and glowing in color. Mr. Williams feels these bits to be of considerably previous date than the socalled sixteenth century weavings.
