[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”intro + parag. 1″ _builder_version=”4.7.6″]<\/p>\n
Venice can boast a history of textile art which spans over a thousand years. But before the most famous velvets, it produced another equally precious silk fabric: samite.<\/p>\n
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In the 12th century, Venice ceased to merely import luxury fabrics from the East and started to produce them itself. The first ones were samites.<\/p>\n
Samite is a fabric that from a technical point of view has a six thread array, in Greek hexamitos<\/em>, from which it derives its name. It consists of two warps, a ground warp – building the pattern – and a binding warp, and with at least two wefts woven so as to follow diagonal lines.<\/p>\n It is a heavy fabric in pure silk, with a velvety hand and a satin-like and shiny finish. Just like many other fabrics, it originated in the Middle East, Iran and Syria, and spread throughout the Mediterranean area through Byzantium and the Arab domination.<\/p>\n Considered the most precious silk fabric of the Middle Ages<\/a>, it could be admired on vestments and sumptuous clothes, which were a privilege of the upper classes of Venetian society. It often had rich decorations embroidered with gold and silver threads.<\/p>\n At that time, in Venice there was the corporation of the Samitieri<\/em>, the skilled weavers of samites, which only later welcomed the Veluderi<\/em>, the producers of velvets<\/a>. In 1265 the Capitulare Samitariorum, <\/em>the set of provisions that regulated its activity, was reformed.\u00a0 Among the others, there was a rule which forbade the use of any other yarns besides silk to produce this fabric, under penalty of its destruction. Only later, after the 12th century, different yarns were allowed, especially linen or hemp, which made the warp stronger. These fabrics, however, were defined as half silks<\/em> (mezze sete <\/em>in Italian).<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”I motivi decorativi degli sciamiti” _builder_version=”4.7.6″]<\/p>\n Samites often have decorative motifs “ad rotellas”, which are wheels or squares, with symbolic animals in the center. They began to appear from the 9th century A.D. and developed with modular ratios and diversified diameters, until the beginning of the 14th century.<\/p>\n The designs represent rosettes, griffins, lions, the tree of life and, parakeets. An example of this motif is found in our Leoni soprarizzo velvet<\/a>.\u00a0 Greek words and Arabic inscriptions used for purely decorative purposes also often appear.<\/p>\n These patterns can also be found in the cloth that wrapped the casket of St. Anthony of Padua: it features palmettes inside the round frames with pairs of budgies in the center separated by the tree of life. They also appear in the vestments of Pope Boniface VIII, from the second half of the 12th century, with a great variety of animals and birds represented in the center of the roundels.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/029-3273-A1-Leoni-verde-antico-argento.jpg” alt=”Soprarizzo Leoni verde antico argento” title_text=”029-3273-A1 Leoni verde antico argento” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” admin_label=”velluto soprarizzo Leoni” _builder_version=”4.7.5″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”300px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Velluto soprarizzo Leoni” _builder_version=”4.7.6″ text_font=”||on||” text_font_size=”12″ background_color=”rgba(218,221,221,0.52)” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”300px” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Leoni soprarizzo velvet [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Pheasants-in-roundels.-Silk-samite-fragment-Central-Asia-7th-8th-century.jpg” alt=”Silk samite fragment, Central Asia, 7th-8th century” title_text=”Pheasants in roundels. Silk samite fragment, Central Asia, 7th-8th century” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” admin_label=”Silk samite fragment, Central Asia, 7th-8th century” _builder_version=”4.7.5″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”600px” max_height=”300px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Frammento di Sciamito in seta, Asia Centrale, VII-VIII secolo” _builder_version=”4.7.6″ text_font=”||on||” text_font_size=”12″ background_color=”rgba(218,221,221,0.52)” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”600px” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Pheasant roundels on silk samite fragment, Central Asia, 7th or 8th century [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Sasanian_Silk_Samite_cloth_Circa_960.jpg” alt=”Sasanian_Silk_Samite_cloth_Circa_960″ title_text=”Sasanian_Silk_Samite_cloth_Circa_960″ show_in_lightbox=”on” admin_label=”Sasanian_Silk_Samite_cloth_Circa_960″ _builder_version=”4.7.5″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”600px” max_height=”300px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Frammento di Sciamito in seta sasanide, 960 d.C.” _builder_version=”4.7.6″ text_font=”||on||” text_font_size=”12″ background_color=”rgba(218,221,221,0.52)” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”600px” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Sasanian Silk Samite cloth, circa 960 [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” column_structure=”2_3,1_3″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Lo sciamito di San Teodoro” _builder_version=”4.7.6″]<\/p>\n Samite<\/a> is also somehow connected to the story of Venice\u2019s patron saint. Before St. Mark, the city\u2019s patron saint was St. Theodore of Amasea.<\/p>\n But in the 13th century, the saint\u2019s mortal remains were transferred to Brindisi (a city in the south of Italy) wrapped in a precious samite, probably on the occasion of the wedding of Frederick II and Yolande of Jerusalem. It\u2019s from that moment that the cult of St. Mark was born in Venice as the new patron saint of the city of which he became the symbol and to whom the splendid square and the majestic basilica were dedicated.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Sciamito.jpg” _builder_version=”4.7.6″ _module_preset=”default” alt=”Sciamito San Teodoro” title_text=”Sciamito San Teodoro” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ align=”center” max_width=”150px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Saint Theodore\u2019s samite, detail” _builder_version=”4.7.6″ text_font=”||on||” text_font_size=”12″ background_color=”rgba(218,221,221,0.52)” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”150px” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ locked=”off”]<\/p>\n Saint Theodore\u2019s samite – detail [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Riga” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Cover Photo: sciamito, Venezia secolo XIII” _builder_version=”4.7.6″ hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let’s discover the characteristics of Samites, the first precious fabrics produced in Venice, pure silk weaves with a velvety feel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":37939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" [et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"3.22\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"3.25\" background_size=\"initial\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"3.25\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"intro + parag. 1\" _builder_version=\"4.7.5\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]<\/p> Venezia vanta una storia dell\u2019arte tessile lunga quasi mille anni. Ma prima dei pi\u00f9 famosi velluti, produceva un altro tessuto in seta altrettanto pregiato: lo sciamito.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Nel XII secolo, Venezia smise di essere una semplice importatrice di stoffe dall\u2019Oriente e cominci\u00f2 a produrre tessuti pregiati. I primi furono gli sciamiti.<\/p> Lo sciamito \u00e8 un tessuto che tecnicamente ha un ordinamento basato su un rapporto di sei fili<\/em>, in greco hexamitos<\/em>, da cui deriva il suo nome. \u00c8 formato da due orditi, uno di fondo \u2013 che crea il disegno \u2013 e uno di legatura, e da almeno due trame legate in senso obliquo.<\/p> \u00c8 un tessuto pesante in pura seta, dalla mano vellutata e dall\u2019aspetto satinato e brillante. Come molte altre stoffe ha origine nel Medio Oriente, Iran e Siria, e si \u00e8 diffuso in tutta l\u2019area del Mediterraneo attraverso Bisanzio e grazie alla dominazione araba.<\/p> Considerata la stoffa serica pi\u00f9 preziosa del Medioevo<\/a>, poteva essere ammirato su paramenti e abiti sontuosi, privilegio delle classi elevate della societ\u00e0 veneziana. Spesso aveva ricchi decori ricamati con fili d\u2019oro e d\u2019argento.<\/p> A Venezia esisteva, a quel tempo, la corporazione del Samitieri<\/em>, gli abili tessitori di sciamiti, che solo in seguito accolse i Veluderi<\/em>, i produttori di velluti<\/a>. Nel 1265 venne riformato il Capitulare Samitariorum<\/em>, l\u2019insieme di norme che ne disciplinavano l\u2019attivit\u00e0.\u00a0 Tra le altre, vi era una regola che proibiva di utilizzare altri filati oltre a quello di seta per produrre questo tessuto, pena la distruzione dello stesso. Solo pi\u00f9 tardi, dopo il XII secolo, vennero permessi filati diversi, specialmente di lino o di canapa, che rendevano pi\u00f9 robusto l\u2019ordito. Questi tessuti per\u00f2 furono definiti\u00a0 mezze sete<\/em>.<\/p> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_5,2_5\" _builder_version=\"3.25\" background_size=\"initial\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_5\" _builder_version=\"3.25\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"I motivi decorativi degli sciamiti\" _builder_version=\"4.7.5\"]<\/p> Gli sciamiti hanno spesso motivi decorativi \u201cad rotellas\u201d ossia a ruote, o a riquadri, con animali simbolici al centro, che cominciarono a comparire fin dal IX sec. d.C. e si svilupparono con rapporti modulari e diametri diversificati, fino all\u2019inizio del secolo XIV.<\/p>Decorative Patterns of Samites<\/h2>\n
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<\/em><\/p>\nThe Samite of St. Theodore<\/h2>\n
<\/em><\/p>\nCover photo: Samite, Venice, 13th century<\/pre>\n
Gli sciamiti, i primi tessuti di Venezia<\/h2>
I motivi decorativi degli sciamiti<\/h2>