The Style of the Tsar. Italian and Russian art and fashions between the 14th and the 18th century
18 September 2009 - 10 January 2010
Textile Museum, Prato, Italy
103 exhibits

18 September 2009, exhibition The Style of the Tsar. Italian Textiles in Russia in the 13th-18th centuries prepared by the State Hermitage together with the Moscow Kremlin Museums, the State Russian Museum as well as with Prato Textile Museum, Italy, opened in Prato Textile Museum, Italy.

170 pieces of art are presented at the exhibition, 103 out of which are from the collection of the State Hermitage (most of them are exhibited for the first time). New archive materials and research conducted by Russian and Italian curators of the textile collection have been used for attributions.

The exhibition is dedicated to the history of Russian-Italian connection over the period of 500 years that are illustrated by works of artistic textile, costumes, paintings. Italian textile industry moved to the leading position in Europe in the 15th century. It concurred with the period of the flowering of Italian art. Silk patterned textiles that were often interweaved with silver and golden threads had an exceptionally high value in Europe and in the East. Being genuine pieces of art pieces of Italian velvet or brocade represented a desired diplomatic or official gift, a precious gift to a church on behalf of well-to-do family or craftsmen guild. They were used to make neat dresses for high aristocracy, church attire. The price of such textiles was so high that representatives of ruling dynasties did not think that there was anything to be ashamed of in altering costumes from one owner for another and to transmit them.

As a result a peculiar culture of application of precious textiles that furthermore vividly demonstrated social status of its owner emerged in Europe. Italy and Russia had long history of diplomatic relations that was also reflected in diplomatic gifts among which there were Italian textiles and articles of clothing. Textiles held a specific place in trade between the two countries.

The exhibition shows what place Italian textiles took in Italian art, how they were used by artists in paintings to achieve more expressiveness and richness of contents of the paintings. Four sections of the exhibition tell about 500 hundred years history of Russian-Italian textile trade that spread from Italian Northern Black Sea colonies to St Petersburg. Italian textiles were considered as especially precious goods however Russian customers made their own choice that differed from general European taste. This was connected with national cultural traditions as well as with peculiarities of the Russian costume that was apart from European fashion until the 17th century. A separate section of the exhibition is dedicated to characteristic features analysis of Russian and Italian court-dress of the 17th century.

A special section - diplomatic relations of Italy and Russia, Russian embassies in Italy - presents new aspects of Russian-Italian political connections, mutual influence of such diverse cultures.

The last section of the exhibition is dedicated to collecting of pieces of Italian textile art in Russia in the 18th-20th centuries, establishment of large museum and private collections in Russia. Participation of a large painting by Lodovico Cigoli The Circumcision originating from the Church of St Francis in Prato and purchased for the Imperial Hermitage in 1825 is symbolic here.

The collection of textiles, costumes, pieces of decorative and applied arts amplified by canvases by Italian artists - Titian, Bordon, Cigoli and others.

Exhibition curator is Tatiana Lekhovich, senior researcher of the Department of West European Applied Art History of the State Hermitage, candidate in art history, and Daniela Degl’Innocenti, curator of the collection, Prato Textile Museum.