Tuesday, January 27, 2015

FORBIDDEN EMBROIDERY


In ancient times when embroidery was at it's most extravagant and beautiful, some nobles went over the top so to speak in their taste for showy clothes.



Some of these nobles took advantage of public ceremonies to uphold luxurious displays and at times carried out to amazing excess.
Nobles at court showed their wealth by the display of embroidery and jewels attached to their clothes.

Louis the XIII, in 1629 issued an edict bearing the title  "Regulation of the Superfluity in Clothes. " The law stated there was a limit to the expenditure
of money on clothes.

Article 133 goes like this -

"We forbid men and women to wear in any way whatsoever embroidery on cloth or flax, imitations of embroidery, of bordering made up with cloth and thread, and of cutwork for rebatos, capes, sleeves, done upon quintain and other linens, laces, passamaynes, and other threadwork made with bobbins.

And we forbid the use of all other ornaments upon capes, sleeves, anf other linen garments, save trimmings, cutwork, and laces  manufactured in this counrty which do not exceed at most the price of three pounds the ell, that is , for the band and it's trimings together, without evasion.

"Upon pain of confiscation of the  aforesaid capes, chainwork, collars, hats, and mantles which may be found upon the offending person; as well as coaches and horses which may be found similarly bedecked."

The enforcement of this edict was not really carried out, in fact how much was too much?


The gold thread embroidery was magnificent in it's execution, thread work at this time was at it height in my opinion.


We are so lucky to have these examples of such wonders from the past in our museums.

1 comment:

  1. This is a great article about embroidery in the past. I never knew how really extravagant the people were. Thanks for the insight!

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