Brocade

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Cope and chasuble; Brocade of Lyon. 19th Century
Lyon, France
, 1760–1770.
Detail of hair-sash being brocaded on a Jakaltek Maya backstrap loom.
Large Yunjin brocade loom, Nanjing, China, 2010

Brocade is a class of richly decorative

past participle of the verb broccare "to stud, set with nails", from brocco, "small nail", from Latin broccus, "projecting, pointed".[2]

Brocade is typically woven on a draw

warp
threads together. The purpose of this is to give the appearance that the weave was actually embroidered on.

In

backstrap looms
.

Ornamental features in brocade are emphasised and wrought as additions to the main fabric, sometimes stiffening it, though more frequently producing on its face the effect of low relief. In some, but not all, brocades, these additions present a distinctive appearance on the back of the material where the supplementary weft or floating threads of the brocaded or broached parts hang in loose groups or are clipped away.[1] When the weft is floating on the back, this is known as a continuous brocade; the supplementary weft runs from selvage to selvage. The yarns are cut away in cutwork and broché. Also, a discontinuous brocade is where the supplementary yarn is only woven in the patterned areas. Artisans worked extremely hard to produce these spectacular works of art. It often took years to make them.

History

China

The manufacture of brocade began during the Warring States period of China.[3] Many products of brocade have been found in tombs of the era.[3][4] Several distinct styles of brocade have been developed in China, the most famous being Yunjin (Cloud brocade) of Nanjing, Song brocade of Suzhou, and Shu brocade of Chengdu.

Southeast Asia

Songket is a type of brocade in the Malay world (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei etc.)

Byzantium

Dating back to the

silkworms. From this point until the 9th century, Byzantium became the biggest and most central producer for all of the Western world in the production of all types of silk motifs, including brocades, damasks, brocatelles and tapestry-like fabrics.[5]

During the

Persian in origin. It was also common to see Christian subjects depicted in the complex weaves of the fabric. When these luxurious fabrics were made into clothing or wall hangings, they were at times adorned with precious and semiprecious stones, small medallions of enamel, embroidery and appliqués.[5]

The Late Middle Ages

Wealthy noblemen and noblewomen dressed in silk brocades from Italy, and velvets trimmed with fur from Germany. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Court of Burgundy was made known for their continuous fashionable tastes and luxurious dress.[6]

Renaissance Italy

The condotier by Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini

Brocades were also an important fabric during the Renaissance, and especially the Italian Renaissance. As wool and silk were the primary fabrics used by Europeans during the Renaissance, and despite the lack of documentary evidence, it is said that due to the increase in complexity of decoration of Italian silk fabrics of the 15th century, there must have been improvements in silk-weaving looms around this time. The complexity and high quality of luxurious silk fabrics caused Italy to become the most important and superior manufacturer of the finest silk fabrics for all of Europe. The almost sculptural lines of the fashions during the Renaissance were paired perfectly with the exquisite beauty and elegance of brocade, damask, and other superior silk textiles.[7]

Modern uses

Brocade fabrics are mostly for

tapestries. Patterns such as brocade, brocatelle, damask and tapestry-like fabrics are known as jacquard patterns.[8]

Gallery

  • Silk brocade (detail), Boys riding goats. Ming dynasty, 15th/16th century.
    Silk brocade (detail), Boys riding goats. Ming dynasty, 15th/16th century.
  • Persian Silk Brocade. Brocade weaver: Seyyed Hossein Mozhgani, 1974, Ministry of Culture and Art, Iran.
    Persian Silk Brocade. Brocade weaver: Seyyed Hossein Mozhgani, 1974, Ministry of Culture and Art, Iran.
  • Traditional Hajong brocade.
    Traditional Hajong brocade.
  • Isabelle De Strange, Brocade Costume, c. 1938, NGA 13643
    Isabelle De Strange, Brocade Costume, c. 1938, NGA 13643

See also

References

  1. ^ a b  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Brocade". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 620–622.
  2. ^ brocade: EtymologyOnline
  3. ^ .
  4. .
  5. ^ a b Tortora, Phyllis G. (2009). Survey of Historic Costume. New York: Fairchild Books. p. 110.
  6. ^ Tortora, Phyllis G. (2009). Survey of Historic Dress. New York: Fairchild Books. pp. 147–148.
  7. ^ Tortora, Phyllis G. (2009). Survey of Historic Dress. New York: Fairchild Books. pp. 183–184.
  8. ^ Collier, Billie J. (2009). Understanding Textiles. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 303.

Further reading

External links

  • Quotations related to Brocade at Wikiquote
  • Media related to Brocade at Wikimedia Commons