"Silk Gold Kermes. Secrets and Technology at the Visconti and Sforza Courts" (Milan, 10/29/09-2/21/10)

Seta Oro Cremisi. Segreti e tecnologia alla corte dei Visconti e degli Sforza
The Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Milan - from October 29, 2009 to February 21, 2010

The exhibition "shows the outstanding artistic production connected to the silk manufacturing in the second half of the 15th century. About fifty works (velvets and damasks, mostly gold and silver brocaded, embroidery with gold and pearls, playing cards, illuminated manuscripts, paintings) illustrate the link between lavishness and technology in the Milanese production, giving evidence to the origins and development of a new textile manufacturing of an extraordinary quality."

The exhibition is part of the PSL project (Produzione Serica Lombarda). The project "is intended to produce a map of Lombard textiles existing in public and private collections and company archives in Europe and North America. The project involves two different and complementary moments, represented by the historical-scientific research and the presentation of its results. (...)

The project, designed by Chiara Buss, director of the ISAL Department of Applied Arts, is being implemented by a group of cultural institutions from different expertise - located in the Lombard territory and in European centers historically linked to textile production - acting in his capacity as partners and sustainers of the Istituto di Storia dell’Arte Lombarda which is entrusted with the direction of the project, with the sponsorship of the Cariplo Foundation."