The 14th century was a difficult time in most of Europe. A climatic change, referred to by many historians as the Mini Ice Age caused decreased crop production which led to pockets of famine. With this decrease food production, also came an increase in disease. The Bubonic plague ran rampant throughout Europe as the Hundred Years War erupted between France and England. By 1400, one half of the population of Europe had died. With this loss in population, the remaining inhabitants inherited a great deal of wealth. The world was ripe for a revival, hence the Renaissance. In the Italian city-states, nobles were not only concerned with beauty and the display of wealth and prosperity, but also with comfort. Cleanliness, comfort, warmth, good clothing and food were primary concerns to Italians. No expense was spared to make these ideals possible. In the home, comfort and warmth were very important and no less so for the nobles. While awesome and imposing as castles can be, they were also at times damp and very cold. Every attempt was made to lessen the discomforts made by temperatures in the home. In many frescos and manuscript scenes from the period, we see homes draped in sumptuous fabrics to provide comfort and display extravagance.
In many instances the green tapestry with flowers was referred to as Flemish verdure tapestry. Indeed, Mercedes Viale in her 1996 book, Tapestries, indicates that Flemish verdure tapestry was made primarily in Brussels at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries and was the most popular tapestry pattern across Europe for the period. The verdure tapestry, so called because of its characteristic green ground displays a pattern of flowers known as "Millifiori" (Thousand Flowers).
So important were these tapestries to their owners, that the tapestries were often transported on journeys to different homes and were also taken with noblemen for comfort at war. A set of the tapestries were included in the dowry of Ippolita Sforza when she married Alfonso of Aragon in 1465. --from the Inventory, "bancali xiij et spalliere viiij. (Trivulzio Invt., Milan, 1465.). If you are planning to seat or recreate an Italian banquet, it would not be complete without the backdrop of an "a Spalliera" in Verdure tapestry.
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Baronessa Franca DonatoVandy Pacetti-Donelson is a milliner, costumer, illuminator and calligrapher, and researcher who is interested in all that is the Italian Renaissance. A true Florida Native originally from Saint Augustine, she now calls Daphne, Alabama her home. Vandy is known in the Society for Creative Anachronism as Baronessa Franca Donato, OL and resides in the Barony of the Osprey in the Kingdom of Merides. Archives
March 2021
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