About the project

Subject of research

European weaving was exceptional in terms of quality and richness of designs. However, in working through the history of the European weaving industry, we find that not many fabrics of sufficient quality have survived - more often than other evidence of material culture, they have been subject to deterioration. The fabrics were usually very expensive, and were often worn until they were completely destroyed. Fortunately for today's research, however, the precious fabrics were not only used for profane purposes, for the clothing of the upper classes, but also for sacred purposes. Liturgical clothing, unlike secular clothing, was used more sparingly and less frequently, which is why the surviving pieces of liturgical clothing today represent one of the best sources of knowledge about the history of the weaving industry and the history of visual imagination associated with designing patterns in the style desired at the time.

 

The research focused on the area of the Brno diocese, whose historical fabrics have not yet been comprehensively researched. It is one of the most interesting collections in the Czech Republic, although as yet undescribed and scattered in individual parishes. Many of the patterns studied seem to have survived only in this corpus. The focus of the material examined lies in the 18th century.

 

During the survey, historically valuable pieces were identified, their photographic documentation and research processing of the material obtained was carried out, and their proper treatment and storage was ensured.

 

The purpose of the project

The aim of the project is to highlight the richness of historical textile designs as one of the sources of beauty from which not only pleasure but also material benefit can be derived today in many different ways.

 

Research and catalogues of historical textiles have so far been produced only sporadically on our territory and their methodology has not been linked to foreign research practices in the processing of collections of this type. One of the exceptions in this area is the catalogue of Jiří Vácha, who adapted the methodology of processing the material under study to the conditions of his research and used the technological description promoted by the Lyon-based organisation CIETA and the Swiss Abegg-Stiftung.

 

The Patterns of Beauty database builds on these outputs in terms of methodology, structure and authorship. The reconstructed patterns and their technological analyses are not only available online, but we are also preparing a printed catalogue. In this way, the database is offered as a source of inspiration to many different user groups.

 

Target group

The Beauty Patterns database potentially reaches different professions and interested parties. Historians and researchers gain another source of information on the history of the textile industry, designers, designers and art students get a new field of inspiration for their work, fabric manufacturers can expand their current production portfolio with both exact replicas and new designs, only inspired by older patterns. Parish administrators can better identify the time period of surviving historic fabrics in their parishes. Conservation officers can use the database for their conservation restoration recommendations.

 

In addition, this project seeks to promote the rich inventiveness of this type of artwork to the general public. The designs can be used in a variety of ways, for example as wallpaper on tablet or mobile phone screens.

 

For those interested in the production of a replica of a selected pattern, we can offer cooperation with the company Kolovrat, ČM s.r.o., which is able to put these patterns into production.

 

Creators of the database

Doc. Ing. František Svoboda, Ph.D. - project solver, lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Economics and Administration of Masaryk University. In the project he is responsible for field research and creation of detailed documentation according to the requirements of the research methods and technical design of the website. He is also involved in the creation of the exhibition that will conclude the project, which will be organized in cooperation with the Bishopric of Brno.

 

PhDr. Jiří Vácha, Ph.D. - for many years he has been an expert curator of the art collections of the Bishopric of České Budějovice and an expert on historical textiles and the technology of their production. He is the author of the catalogue Patterned fabrics of the 16th-18th century from the church collections of the České Budějovice Diocese, which is the first catalogue in the Czech Republic created as a cross-sectional overview of textile patterns with technological descriptions. He was trained by Dr. phil. Karel Otavský, whose home base was the Abegg-Stiftung in Switzerland. He is responsible for the research part of the project, i.e. selection of the most representative samples of historical fabrics, their detailed research processing, compilation of technical texts and texts for popularization.

 

Ing. Vladimír Vancl - director of Kolovrat, ČM s.r.o., a company specialized in the production of fabrics with historical patterns, has many years of experience in production technology, market requirements and contemporary taste. He is involved in the selection of exhibits for the exhibition, and based on his knowledge of the market, he will select patterns suitable for production.

 

Acknowledgements

The research was prepared with the support of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic within the project TL03000126 - Re-valuing cultural capital in production and supporting its presentation. Thanks are also due to the spiritual administrators of the parishes of the Brno diocese who enabled and supported the field research of liturgical fabrics stored in individual parishes. The creation of the database was supported by the LINDAT/CLARIAH-CZ project (large research infrastructure funded by the Ministry of Education, LM2018101).

 

How to cite

Vácha, J. – Svoboda, F. Beauty patterns, online database, Digitalia MUNI ARTS, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, viewed 15 August 2022, http://www.beauty-patterns.org/