Expensive embroidery technology: metalworking

Metalworking is an embroidery technique, which uses metal thread for embroidery. Although there is gold thread in the name, the thread used is not limited to gold, and it can even be said that pure gold is rarely used (too soft! )。 Generally speaking, gold thread embroidery uses alloy threads of silver, copper, gold or other metals to create a shiny and unique work of art.

? According to the mainstream view, gold thread embroidery first appeared in Asia, or more precisely in China, with a history of more than 2,000 years. After that, the technology gradually spread and took root and blossomed in India, the Middle East, Babylon, Egypt, Africa and European countries. One of the best-preserved European gold thread embroideries is a fragment of the Mass Band of St. Cuthbert. Upon examination, this work was completed during September 90916.

In Europe, Opus Anglicanum technology appeared and became popular in A.D. 1050- 1380, and it was widely used in British church clothing and church hanging decoration. In A.D. 1250- 1350, the technical level of the Anglican Church reached its peak in Europe. 1246, Pope Sinibaldo Fieschi, who has a special liking for gold thread embroidery, suggested that the monks and nuns of the Cistercian should buy dresses embroidered with gold thread, and recruited their own embroiderers specializing in gold thread embroidery. Since then, the Anglican Church has become famous all over Europe. 1295 The gold thread embroidery works invested and traded by the Vatican surpassed other kinds of embroidery works. Most of these works come from London's studios with outstanding technical embroiderers. In this prosperous period of gold thread embroidery, because the finished products are mainly gold thread, silver thread and gold-plated thread, supplemented by pearls, semi-precious stones and other materials, a complete and exquisite gold thread embroidery work is considered to be highly collectible and expensive.

The investment of Syon and Bulter bowden in this period is a representative of the best gold embroidery works. These works show a gold embroidery technique called "crouching", which can make the characters look more agile and flexible in background making.

However, with the outbreak of the Black Death in Europe, a large number of embroidery workers died. Taking this as an opportunity, gold thread embroidery began to decline. AD 1330- 1530 is called the "decline and revival" era of gold thread embroidery. The quality of finished products in this period is not as good as before, but the degree of commercialization has improved. Compared with the earlier period, the portrait became short and stiff, the complex background was simplified, and iris, Du Ze rose and other flowers began to be widely used. In addition, sequins with radial embellishment are added to the work. These changes have increased the gorgeous feeling of the works in the sun as a whole.

/kloc-At the beginning of the 5th century, the gold thread embroidery technology (Nue) developed rapidly, and soon surpassed other embroidery technologies, and was widely used. This technology uses different colors of silk threads to make pairs of gold nails. Or the Nue technique is quite time-consuming and laborious, but through this technique, the embroidery worker can complete embroidery works similar to pictures. Today's preserved or new works are usually portraits or narrative scenes.

16- 17 century, the demand of the church for embroidered dresses with gold thread was greatly reduced. During this period, many gold embroidery works were destroyed, because people removed the metal wires in the works and recycled them for cushions, interior decoration or directly recycled gold. But at the same time, gold thread embroidery is still very popular in personal ornaments, interior decoration and clothing industries. At that time, owning gold embroidery was still considered as a symbol of wealth. Gold thread embroidery workshops and embroidery workers are also becoming standardized. The workshop adopts apprenticeship, and an apprentice may need eight years' apprenticeship to engage in gold thread embroidery.

During this period, female embroidery workers began to appear. Beth in hardwick and Mary Quinn in Scotland were outstanding female gold embroidery workers at that time. Most of their works are collected in hardwick Hall and Victoria &; Albert museum.

? 18- 19 century, there is still a demand for church gold embroidered dresses, but the use of gold embroidery in fashion began to decrease. By the middle of18th century, influenced by the movement of "Gothic revival or arts and crafts", gold thread embroidery was revived to some extent. 1770, Charles Germane du St. Aubyn published the book The Art of Embroidery, which included the embroidery atlas and embroidery techniques of18th century. This book is reprinted by 1983. You can look for it if you are interested. This is not a good book.

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