Italy, Florence

Originating in Florence, Italy, this center of textile production was highly active from approximately 1360 through 1520. This extensive period spanned the critical transition from the late Medieval era through the height of the Italian Renaissance, a period during which Florence was a primary nexus for the arts and luxury goods.

The production focus was entirely on textiles, often involving intricate embroidery destined for ecclesiastical or noble use, specifically items such as vestments and orphreys. Fifteen works attributed to this Florentine origin are currently represented in museum collections, reflecting the consistent, museum-quality standard of craft demanded during this era.

The Art Institute of Chicago holds a collection of these works. Representative pieces, which serve as crucial documents for the study of late Medieval and early Renaissance textile design, include multiple examples of Band from an Orphrey, Fragment from an Orphrey, and Fragment (From a Vestment). These highly specialized fragments demonstrate the stylistic evolution associated with major Florentine workshops over nearly two centuries. Due to their age, these historical textiles frequently fall within the public domain. They are often documented and digitized, making them available as high-quality prints for scholarly study and conservation reference.