Showcase 46 (continuation). Precious fabrics of Italy, Spain, France, Russia of the XVIIth to XIXth centuries

The XVI-XVIIth centuries have seen the expansion of international contacts between Russia and West European countries. Diplomatic relations were affirmed by various gifts among which precious fabrics were highly appreciated. Genoa, Florence and Venice were famed for their textiles, especially axamite velvet. Fabrics of this kind were made in Italy and specially commissioned by the Russian court.

In the XVIIth century Venice specialized in making axamite, silk fabric closely interwoven with gold or silver. There were two types: smooth axamite, in which the background and ornament were woven on the same surface, and looped axamite. A specimen of a smooth axamite is the phelonion made in the Kremlin workshops with patterns of large flowers, rosettes and crowns, a present from Tsar Michael Romanov to Novospassky Monastery. The looped axamites were particularly hard to make. The pattern on them consisted of various types of gold loops, which formed a relief ornament and created a play of light and shade. The sakkos of Patriarch Nikon (in the centre of the showcase) was made in 1654 of double-looped axamite. It is adorned with the XVIth-century gold niello plates, large pearls and precious stones.

The sakkos of Patriarch Philaret, brought from Istanbul in 1623, is made of Spanish axamite with delicate foliate design. Spanish fabrics were similar to the Italian clothes in materials and ornamental decoration.

In the middle of the XVIIth century French fabrics began to be widely used in Russia. French fabrics had a complex colour range and rich ornamentation. At the end of the XVIIth century patterns of summer-houses, fountains and trees in little tubs appeared alongside foliate ornament of fruits, leaves and flowers. Imported fabrics were very expensive, and the Moscow government tried to set up the manufacture of precious fabrics in Russia. Regular production of textiles in Russia has been developed by the XVIIth century. Russian brocades, silks and velvets were greatly prized by European monarchs.