A coverlet of early 18th century ‘Bizarre’ silk

Italy or France, circa 1705-1710.

Brocaded in gilt metal thread, silver thread, and silk, with a design of vases and flowers. The name ‘Bizarre’, now commonly applied to silks of this type, was bestowed by Vilhelm Slomann, who first classified them as a distinct group (Bizarre Designs in Silks, publ. Ejnar Munksgaard, Copenhagen, 1953), and offered a mistaken theory that they were woven in India. The name persisted, and later work confirmed their European origin and dated them to the period between 1690 and 1720. Elements of the extraordinary designs were determined to be derived from Japanese, Ottoman and Indian textiles - one of which influences is suggested here by the rather Japanese repeated circle motif put into the brocade. There is evidence for the weaving of ‘Bizarre’ silks in London and the Netherlands, but France and Italy were the pre-eminent sources. Ackermann, in ‘Seidengewebe des 18. Jahrhunderts - I: Bizarre seiden’ (Abegg Stiftung, 2000), ascribes this type of Bizarre design, with vases and architectural motifs, to the years 1705-1711, and illustrates several from Lyon, with others, richly brocaded as this one is with gold and silver, given to Sicily or Venice.

The fashion for ‘Bizarre’ silk was superseded by that for the symmetrical and regular ‘Lace patterns’, which became popular from around 1715, before finding some small echoes in the combined large floral motifs and small architectural vignettes of the ‘Naturalistic’ silk designs of the 1730’s. This level of extravagant abstraction was not seen again in European design, however, until the early 20th century.

In excellent condition. Made up of four full loom widths (the selvedges being intact at the joins and at each side), each 50cm wide. With small inset sections (symmetrically done), implying a typical prior use as a dress fabric, bordered with 18th century fringe and a backed with 18th century blue sized linen.

178cm (70”) x 198cm (78”)