Thanks to the collaboration between the Gaita S. Maria and the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, every year it is possible to admire the “Silk Merchant’s Workshop”, featuring an exhibition of Fondazione Lisio textiles whose designs strictly refer to iconographic sources dating from between 1250 and 1350.

The collaboration between the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio and the exhibition “Firenze Decò” at Palazzo Medici Riccardi highlights the central role of Florentine textile manufacturing in the decorative culture of the early twentieth century. The selection of works from the Fondazione Lisio Archives demonstrates the continuity between artisanal tradition, aesthetic research, and technical innovation, which are typical characteristics of the Art Deco period.

The Focus Group aims to be an initial forum for discussion among experts, businesses, artisan professionals, and end-users on how museums can serve as a catalyst for craft professions – potentially reimagined in light of new environmental, social, economic, and digital sustainability challenges.

In the heart of the Castelseprio Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription of Castelseprio and Torba since 2011, the workshop invites adults and children to explore everyday clothing practices in the Early Middle Ages. An immersive journey through ancient gestures, historical reconstructions, and live demonstrations will guide participants in discovering the textile techniques used by the Lombards and by the inhabitants of the medieval settlement.

A new educational project has begun in the municipality of Calascio, created thanks to the “Rocca Calascio – Luce d’Abruzzo” project funded by the PNRR. The initiative has led to the creation of the ISTÓS School of Advanced Training dedicated to weaving and the processing of wool and plant fibres. From May 2025 through 2026, courses and workshops in the fields of textiles and traditional craftsmanship will be offered, promoting the knowledge, enhancement, and innovation of local textile practices.

On the occasion of the exhibition “Piero della Francesca. The Reunited Augustinian Polyptych”, workshops dedicated to weaving will be held to discover more closely one of the artist’s greatest protagonists in painting: fabric.

Friday 26 April – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Sala Sottani - The conference will provide an opportunity to present the different experiences in the reconstruction of ancient textiles intended for furnishings in historic residences and royal palaces, historical costumes, and liturgical vestments.

The Medici Museum of Florence, in collaboration with the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, presents the solo exhibition of Afran, a contemporary artist who works with textile materials and paints their stylistic and aesthetic characteristics, curated by Matteo Chincarini.

Located in the Maurizio Sella Wool Mill, in the wing built at the end of the 17th century as a silk spinning mill by the Sanctuary of Oropa, the exhibition represents a journey through the geographies of silk, using documents, images, and objects from the archives of institutions and companies that preserve its fascinating history.

Materia e Virtuosismo is the title of the collective exhibition presented at the 29th edition of Florence’s high craftsmanship fair, Artigianato e Palazzo. From 15 to 17 September, in the magnificent setting of the Corsini Gardens, 25 artisan companies based in Tuscany showcase the inspiring creations born from their diverse ingenuity.

Saturday 24th June 2023 hour 6pm | Sunday 25th June 2023 5pm Hall“Paolo Poli”, Teatro della Pergola, Firenze

The Palio of Legnano offers a glamorous evening with the event "InTessuti di storia" which took place on the evening of Thursday 11 May in the prestigious Dolce & Gabbana headquarters in Legnano, with fabrics from the Lisio Foundation in exhibition.

As part of the Diocesan outreach project Formae Lucis, and in conjunction with the exhibition "ONDE BAROCCHE. CAPOLAVORI DIOCESANI TRA 1600 E 1750" the Fondazione arte della Seta LISIO and Formae Lucis present: "TRAME BAROCCHE, tra tessuto e iconografia per svelarne i significati", a series of in-depth meetings on themes related to the Baroque and late Baroque periods.

As part of the Diocesan outreach project Formae Lucis, and in conjunction with the exhibition "ONDE BAROCCHE. CAPOLAVORI DIOCESANI TRA 1600 E 1750" the Fondazione arte della Seta LISIO and Formae Lucis present: "TRAME BAROCCHE, tra tessuto e iconografia per svelarne i significati", a series of in-depth meetings on themes related to the Baroque and late Baroque periods.

TheFondazione Lisio is among the winners of the XLI edition of the ‘Columbus Prize’ for Art. The award, promoted by the Rotary Club Firenze Est, under the patronage of the Municipality of Florence and the Tuscany Region, honors illustrious personalities in the fields of culture, science, and art. In addition to the Lisio Foundation, the 2022 ‘Columbus Prize’ goes to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure for culture and to Paolo Dario, professor emeritus of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, for science. The award ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 12th at 5:30 p.m. at the Palagio di Parte Guelfa.

As part of the Diocesan dissemination project Formae Lucis, and concurrently with the exhibition "ONDE BAROCCHE. CAPOLAVORI DIOCESANI TRA 1600 E 1750" (BAROQUE WAVES. DIOCESAN MASTERPIECES BETWEEN 1600 AND 1750), the Fondazione Arte della Seta LISIO and Formae Lucis present: "TRAME BAROCCHE, tra tessuto e iconografia per svelarne i significati" (BAROQUE WEAVES, between fabric and iconography to unveil their meanings), a series of in-depth meetings on themes related to the Baroque and late Baroque periods.

From September 30th to March 2023, the exhibition “Vincenzo Foppa. Lo Stendardo di Orzinuovi” will be held at the Rocca di San Giorgio in Orzinuovi. The exhibition is integrated by the decorative panel and garments created by the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio in Florence, which faithfully reproduce 16th-century models represented in the painting by Foppa.

The performance, prepared and interpreted by the students of the Directing and Performance Course led by Maestro Massimo Luconi, took place over the weekend from 3 to 5 June. The costumes were created by the students of the Historical and Stage Costume Tailoring Course at Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio in Florence.

On the occasion of the preview of the new collections, the historic Penko goldsmith workshop donated the first piece from the “Dolce Firenze” collection to the Fondazione Lisio, sealing the close collaboration between the two entities and bringing together the iconic pieces that walked the runway together for Dolce & Gabbana in 2020 for “Il Rinascimento e la Rinascita".

A historical, artistic and photographic journey dedicated to the Captain of the People of the Historical Parade of Orvieto.

YouNique – Fine Craft Art & Design is an intimate and exclusive event that presents a world of high craftsmanship in all its artistic aspects. In the neoclassical setting of the rooms of Villa Ciani, a charming nineteenth-century dwelling overlooking Lake Ceresio at Lugano, the occasion is a byword for the exclusivity of the handmade, an emblematic illustration of art blending with craftsmanship, and a showcase for artisans passionately striving to create unique pieces.

On the occasion of Pitti 2022, Museo de' Medici presented an exhibition conceived and carried out by Matteo Chincarini to illustrate and describe significant aspects of excellence in fashion from the 15th to the 17th century, periods in which the Medici family wrote capital pages of history and culture.

In the Palazzo Pubblico of Siena, we find a highly sought-after political manifesto, a programme of iconographic representation that vividly conveys how the dramatic opposition between the pursuit of personal interest and the aspiration toward the common good constitutes the antithesis of harmonious coexistence.

Appointment with expert Roberta Orsi Landini dedicated to the theme of fashion in fourteenth-century Tuscany. From the frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in Siena to the birth of “young fashion” and the foundations that would lead to the clear differentiation between male and female clothing.

Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 October, a journey through the ateliers of renowned brands and workshops of artisanal excellence. Over 80 events dedicated to Italy’s world of beauty and craftsmanship. Reservations open today at [www.apritimoda.it](http://www.apritimoda.it).

On the occasion of the celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Giovan Battista Moroni, Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio commemorates the birth of the great Bergamo painter with a study focusing on clothing and textile aspects in six masterpieces from the collections of the Accademia Carrara of Bergamo, Fondazione Palazzo Moroni of Bergamo, and the National Gallery in London.

Saturday 24 July, at 9:00 pm, at Parco Alessandri in Albino, an evening organised by PromoSerio and Fondazione Lisio to discuss fashion, reconstructions, textiles, and accessories in Moroni’s works, between past and present. Free admission.

The historical and clothing analysis of Portrait of a Young Gentleman by Fra’ Galgario presented here, in addition to marking the recent scientific and educational collaboration with the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, forms part of the broader field of material culture studies. The article is presented here in an abridged version, while the complete version is available for free download.

1971-2021. Fondazione Lisio’s ‘Golden Anniversary’. A true covenant of love for fabrics in silk and gold and silver and the unique art of weaving them, by hand, with a master’s touch. An arrangement that has endured unaltered for fifty years and which, today, merits celebration in an equally lasting manner, with a splendid commemorative medal that can double as a good luck charm as we face the difficult challenges of tomorrow.

The first of two conferences highlights elements connected to gardens and orchards as an infinite “essence” of human knowledge, identities of microcosms that communicate symbolic messages and serve as sources of inspiration for tapestries and textiles.

Crowning a 50-year career and as she turns 70, a personal exhibition by Maestra Angela Giordano, master of art and of life, at the Museo dell'Arte della Lana of Stia. Here are a few glimpses, while we await reopening. The exhibition will remain in Stia until 27 June 2021.

Appointment on 11 October at 5:00 p.m. at Castello Secco Suardo in Lurano (Bergamo) for the fourth edition of Conversation Piece. The 2020 edition, organized in collaboration with the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio in Florence, will explore a curious yet fascinating archival document from the Secco Suardo family archives

Florentine Artisans and their extraordinary pieces protagonists of Dolce&Gabbana special event: ‘The Renaissance and Rebirth’.From Fatto a Mano to Made in Italy excellence, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana pay homage to the city of the Renaissance and Tuscany in their Alta Gioielleria, Alta Sartoria and Alta Moda creations. 

Ancient Egypt has fascinated and enchanted the Western world since its origins. The seminar retraces the fundamental stages of Egyptomania in musical theatre: from Baroque opera to Romantic opera, up to the most recent forms of operatic expression.

An online meeting to explore the aims and structure of the two-year course in greater depth. The new features of the course and the heads of the tailoring workshops will be presented. Further insights will also be provided into the professional training activities. Participants will have the opportunity to interact and request further information.

A day with costume designer Annamaria Heinreich, the story of her profession and the main steps for creating a costume for the performing arts. The seminar will provide a concrete demonstration of the procedure for creating a costume for the performing arts, starting from the choice of a specific text from a well-defined period.

A combative woman with a firm will to preserve and hand down the Art of Silk. A "mission" that brought the Giuseppe Lisio's manufactory in the 3rd Millennium.

A new scientific collaboration with the Permanent Costume Commission of the renowned Palio di Legnano. The aim of the Commission is to guarantee and verify the historical and stylistic relevance of the costumes, weapons, and footwear, as well as the accessories and jewellery used by the Contrade (districts) for the historical parade and ritual ceremonies.

The closing event of the I.F.T.S. “Fashion Designer 4.0” course took place on Thursday, 23 January 2020 at 3:30 p.m. at Spazio Nota. It was an afternoon dedicated to the themes of education and training, guidance towards artistic crafts, and employment opportunities within artisan fashion companies.

This seminar will proceed through analysis of several classical Greek theatrical scripts and comparison with iconographic sources and contemporary theatrical productions to trace the evolution of the semantics of textiles and clothing proper to classical theatre.

First of a couple of seminars addressed to the evolution of various decorative types used in textiles – flower and plant motifs and their meanings – from late medieval times to the Renaissance, as well as the development of taste and the idea of ‘fashion’ in clothing and furnishings.

The seminar introduces to one of the most adaptable and functional forms of container, the bag has always played a fundamental role in the economy of labour and commerce. Together, we will be looking at how women’s bags have evolved from the late 1700s through today and exploring the value of the bag from the commercial and communicative points of view, as well as some of the names which have made the women’s handbag their strong point.

Between the late 1920s and the 1940s, Triestine artist Anita Pittoni created clothing and decorating fabrics that befittingly reflected the taste of her times. Analysis of her works – all linked by the guiding thread of ‘simplicity’ (of forms, colours, techniques) – takes us on a fascinating excursion into the art of the Ventennio.

A free guided tour of the manufacture is offer to all "Jacquard" magazine's Subscribers. During the tour, our experts will guide demonstrations of velvets and brocades being woven by 19th century Jacquard hand-looms.

Renaissance. A word that evokes an entire world of art, science, culture, innovations. Together, we will see how clothing transformed through the period and how it succeeded in expressing the new needs of the men and women of the time.

The One Off Collection. From exquisite fabrics by the Fondazione Arte Della Seta Lisio Firenze to the embroidery adorning these precious pieces: this is the DNA of Preciously Paris.

The new prestigious two-year course in “Historical and Stage Costume Tailoring” will be presented on Saturday, 13 October 2018, at 11:00 a.m. The event will provide an opportunity to learn more about and discover this new educational pathway, based on constant dialogue with lecturers, tailored to the needs and requirements of participants, and strongly focused on entrepreneurship and practical knowledge of the profession. Participation is free of charge. All interested parties are warmly invited to attend.

The last study day devoted to analysis of headwear examines its fortunes and misfortunes in a period closer to our own: the 19th and 20th century.

Starting next September, a valuable new member will join the Fondazione Lisio team: Tiziana Barison, appointed General Director, with responsibility for the organization and coordination of the various areas of activity.

A sequence of 2 online lectures meant to widen the knowledge of the Scandinavian historical textile and clothing system, will be drafted around the identity and the historical value of the collections present in Stockholm Royal Armory archive.

Un nuovo approfondimento sulle tematiche relative al copricapo nei secoli centrali dell’Europa moderna. Vedremo come il copricapo, sia maschile che femminile, acquista nuovi volumi e nuovi spazi, sia creativi che sociali.

In a few months, the Jacquard textile design summer course will take place: an opportunity to work with very interesting artists and designers

The Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, in presenting the ISTÓS School and programme, offers a short series of in-depth events "TEXTILE MEMORY IN THE ABRUZZO APENNINES", investigating its decorative patterns and symbolic meanings, oral transmission, and the iconic Abruzzo Jacquard blanket within tradition and its contemporary developments.

A project born from the ECOART workshop, “Creating Beauty from Textile Waste,” bringing together creativity and sustainability. An opportunity to celebrate artistic ingenuity and environmental responsibility.

The 2025 edition of Adoremus at the Museo Diocesano di Brescia presents the Madonna della Pace by Pinturicchio, a Renaissance masterpiece never before exhibited in the city. The symbolic work (c. 1490) conveys a message of hope through a synesthetic display that combines painting and textile art. In collaboration with the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, the exhibition features an embroidered silk reproduction of the Divine Child’s garment, along with around twenty textile samples recreating the fabrics worn by the figures depicted in the scene.

A project of the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti as part of the Donizetti Opera 2025 festival in collaboration with Accademia Carrara, Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai, Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio and Museo delle storie di Bergamo.

As part of the "Green Event Services" project, the Lisio Silk Art Foundation and the Polytechnic University of Marche invite you to participate in two workshops, "Trame - Sustainable Interweaving between Scenic Body and Weaving," which will be held on September 20th and 21st in Florence.

From 30 November to 8 December (Milano Rho Fiera)

Issue No. 2, 2024 – July–December

From 10 to 26 May 2024, the rooms of the piano nobile of Palazzo Moroni host the exhibition “Dialogues in Silk”: ten precious fragments of ancient silks, created between the 16th and 20th centuries, from the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio’s collection of antique textiles.

The Stendardo di Orzinuovi, created in 1514 by Vincenzo Foppa, provides us with an authentic image of fashion in Lombardy in the first decade of the 16th century, an example of how clothing, in both the Milan and Bergamo-Brescia area, was still influenced by a style typical of the late 15th century.

On the occasion of holiday season, we inform you that our offices will be closed from the 23 December 2023 to the 7 January 2024.

Practical weaving and creativity workshops for all.

Roccamontepiano commemorates Giuseppe Lisio on the 80th anniversary of the death of the “weaver of every colour”. The event was organised through a collaboration between the Municipality of Roccamontepiano, the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, the Pro Loco Tegea Chieti, and with the full support of the GAL Maiella Verde. On Friday 14 July 2023, at 6:30 pm, at the Museo Giuseppe Lisio in Piazza Terranova, Roccamontepiano (CH), a conference, an artistic performance, and an exhibition were held to mark the 80th anniversary of the death of “Mastro Lisio”.

As a result of the collaboration launched in 2021 with the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, the “Nodo Chieri – Firenze” Project will be the focus of the “Night of the Archives” in Chieri, part of Archivissima, which this year once again sees the participation of the Fondazione Chierese per il Tessile e per il Museo del Tessile. The event will take place on Friday 9 June, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at the Study Room of the Chieri Historical Archive (Via Giovanni De Maria, 10), which will be open to the public for the viewing of a “special design” from the “Serra e Carli” Collection and the “velvet samples” that reproduce its motif in textile form thanks to the skilled work of the prestigious Florentine manufactory.

The fourth edition of YouNique will take place on 25 and 26 March, hosted as always in the splendid neoclassical Villa Ciani, in the heart of Lugano.

On Saturday 23th and Sunday 24th October 2021, ApritiModa will open one hundred doors, from the north to the south of the country. A trip through Italy aimed at discovering, experiencing and falling in love with the great names that represent us in the world and with the artisanal realities that, just here, exist and resist.

As part of the Diocesan outreach project Formae Lucis, and in conjunction with the exhibition "ONDE BAROCCHE. CAPOLAVORI DIOCESANI TRA 1600 E 1750" the Fondazione arte della Seta LISIO and Formae Lucis present: "TRAME BAROCCHE, tra tessuto e iconografia per svelarne i significati", a series of in-depth meetings on themes related to the Baroque and late Baroque periods.

As part of the Diocesan dissemination project Formae Lucis, and concurrently with the exhibition "ONDE BAROCCHE. CAPOLAVORI DIOCESANI TRA 1600 E 1750" (BAROQUE WAVES. DIOCESAN MASTERPIECES BETWEEN 1600 AND 1750), the Fondazione Arte della Seta LISIO and Formae Lucis present: "TRAME BAROCCHE, tra tessuto e iconografia per svelarne i significati" (BAROQUE WEAVES, between fabric and iconography to unveil their meanings), a series of in-depth meetings on themes related to the Baroque and late Baroque periods.

As part of the Diocesan dissemination project Formae Lucis, and concurrently with the exhibition "ONDE BAROCCHE. CAPOLAVORI DIOCESANI TRA 1600 E 1750" (BAROQUE WAVES. DIOCESAN MASTERPIECES BETWEEN 1600 AND 1750), the Fondazione Arte della Seta LISIO and Formae Lucis present: "TRAME BAROCCHE, tra tessuto e iconografia per svelarne i significati" (BAROQUE WEAVES, between fabric and iconography to unveil their meanings), a series of in-depth meetings on themes related to the Baroque and late Baroque periods.

A significant collaboration between Fondazione Lisio and the Cherubini Conservatory has been successfully established, specifically involving the tailoring services provided by the first-year students of the two-year programme in Historical and Stage Costume Tailoring for the production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, organised by the Conservatory in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence at Villa Favard.

On the occasion of the exhibition, the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio, thanks to the scientific collaboration with the Accademia Carrara established in 2018, carried out an in-depth analysis of the clothing aspects depicted in the portrait of the Queen of Spain and in the Portrait of a Young Boy (the Infante Balthasar Carlos?), attributed to Alonso Cano, from the Guglielmo Lochis Collection of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo.

A new life for the costume of the Captain of the People, whose tunic with giaco, worn by time and use, has been renewed. Originally made in the 1970s using fabric from the Fondazione Lisio, it is now presented once again with the handwoven "Lorenzetti" lampas and the tailored craftsmanship of the Foundation. An exhibition in Orvieto celebrates one of its most representative and beloved figures.

Countdown to the fourth edition of FIRENZE HOME TEXSTYLE, scheduled to take place at the Fortezza da Basso from 1 to 4 April 2022. This year, among the special initiatives, is the #UNIQUETEXSTYLE exhibition, which for the first time will host unique and iconic pieces, bridging tradition and contemporary design, on loan from some of the most important historic manufacturers, museum collections and internationally recognised institutes of art, fashion and design.

Invest in your future. Choose education!

The Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio is pleased to celebrate the recent agreement with the Giovanni Secco Suardo Association, a renowned and prestigious international centre for studies and projects in the conservation and restoration of Cultural Heritage, featuring a study focused on the clothing and textile aspects in Moroni’s Portrait of the Knight Pietro Secco Suardo (Uffizi Galleries, Florence).

The seminar will investigate how the invention of a costume based on a misconception and a rejection contributed to creating an image that is very precise, very false – and very difficult to unseat from the contemporary imagination.

The seminar lays out a historic panorama of costuming for the ballet in the 19th century and conducts stylistic analyses of the premier creations of costumers Ivan Alexandrovich Vsevolozhsky and Aleksandr Nikolaevich Benois.

In the 20th and (thus far in the) 21st century, classical theatre performances multiplied throughout the world. The seminar will focus on case studies linked to classical tragedy to point up how directors’ choices and interpretations attribute meanings and functions to costume.

The historical and clothing analysis of the frescoes of Palazzo Acaia (Pinerolo) presented here, in addition to marking the recent scientific and cultural collaboration with the Italia Nostra Association – Pinerolese Section (Turin), is part of the broader field of material culture studies. The clothing analysis is provided as an attachment in its complete version.

Through numerous examples of works of art preserved in the Florence Museums, will be illustrated the models of the most significant clothes of the periods treated, both for men and women. The conference lasts one hour. Conference in double available dates, one for English language, one for Italian language.

Through numerous examples of works of art preserved in the Florence Museums, will be illustrated the models of the most significant clothes of the periods treated, both for men and women. The conference lasts one hour.

The final appointment of the two-part series focuses on a selection of flowers and fruits depicted in textile creations and tapestries, between historical landscapes and suspended settings. Scenic effects and detailed technical virtuosity intertwine with symbols connected to ancient knowledge and historical memories.

The seminar offers a focus on the film genre known as “Peplum”. The distinctive feature of this genre lies in its close connection with the History of Costume: these films are strongly characterised by careful attention to the historical period in which the story is set and to the related clothing, while still managing to draw inspiration from the world of twentieth-century fashion.

The most renowned brands and workshops of artisanal excellence open their doors to reveal the secrets behind the iconic creations of Made in Italy. On 24 and 25 October, discover the finest expression of Italian craftsmanship.

The seminar objective is to illustrate how the concept of ‘ancient dress’ and the so-called ‘Roman tunic’ evolved into the complex theatrical costumes created for the Opera Seria of the last years of the 17th and the early years of the 18th century.

With pride and great dedication, we continue to pursue our educational mission, training younger generations in the textile sector. As a training institution, we are proud to be featured on [www.scuolemestieridarte.it](http://www.scuolemestieridarte.it) by the Cologni Foundation: a platform created to showcase, represent, and celebrate the Italian institutes where the artisans of tomorrow study and develop their skills.

The seminar addresses some of the main issues concerning the definition of theatrical costume during the Classical period. In order to answer the central question of the lecture, namely: how were characters dressed in Classical Greek theatre? the analysis will focus on some of the most significant passages from Classical Greek comedies and tragedies, with the aim of acquiring the necessary tools for an initial investigation into specific textile and clothing terminology.

The interweaving of medieval imagery, history, creativity, and the textiles of the Palio di Legnano

For those interested in the history and life of the enterprising Abruzzese who made it possible to hand down the Art of Hand Weaving silk, and therefore of our institution, here’s an interesting article by Paola Marabelli published in the catalogue of the exhibition "Mastro Lisio: a life devoted to the Art of Silk", Chieti 1998.

Second of a couple of seminars addressed to the evolution of various decorative types used in textiles – flower and plant motifs and their meanings – from Baroque era to the Empire period, as well as the development of taste and the idea of ‘fashion’ in clothing and furnishings.

Exactly 450 years later, on Friday, 13 December 2019, the special project “In Cosimo’s Palace. The Symbols of Power” opens at the Museo di Palazzo Vecchio. The project intertwines different forms of expression to highlight the extremely close relationship that Cosimo I de’ Medici had with Palazzo Vecchio, “his” ducal palace.

A day dedicated to the iconographic exploration, through a mystical-symbolic interpretation, of the elements that distinguish the figures of Mary Magdalene, the saint clothed in her own hair, and Catherine, a young noblewoman who renounces her privileges — and her life — in the name of Christ.

The final exhibition of the second edition of the Master’s programme “Textile – Creation of Artistic Fabrics” opened on 4 October 2019. The annual training programme is promoted by the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze in collaboration with the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio. The Master’s programme provides students with both theoretical and practical training through hand-weaving workshops and the opportunity to undertake internships at affiliated institutions.

Considering Bergamo as a borderland of the Republic of Venice and as a gate to northern Europe provides us with numerous stimuli for analysis and reflection on the fabrics present in its territory. The aim of this seminar is to investigate the iconographic and material presence of Venetian fabrics in and around Bergamo in the 15th and 16th centuries, in the main through analysis of frescoes and recently restored canvases.

This seminar introduces participants to reading of Marian iconography through analysis of Our Lady’s robes, colours, and relics. Different portrayals of Mary have held different theological messages: specific, traditional, conservative or decidedly innovative and revolutionary.

The Lisio Foundation will take part in Federicus 2019, the eighth edition of the great medieval reenactment event dedicated to the Emperor Frederick II of Swabia. The event will take place in Altamura (Bari) starting from 20 April and will feature a rich programme of activities, including “Stupor, The Month of Frederickian Culture.”

On Saturday, 26 January 2019, at 11:00 a.m., the conference on Historical and Stage Costume Tailoring took place in the conference room of Villa Sucota – Como, headquarters of the Fondazione Antonio Ratti. During the event, the “Medicea” gown was presented, created by the Fondazione Lisio tailoring workshop and made by Sara Piccolo Paci.

In depictions of the Holy Child, clothing and drapery are of great importance for understanding the full significance of the images, their iconography and symbolism, and even the identity of the patrons and the dates of the works.

At the exhibition space “Le Murate. Progetti Arte Contemporanea”, the works created by the nine students of the Master’s programme “Textile – Creation of Artistic Fabrics” during the first edition of this new educational pathway were displayed.

Seminar will explain the different steps needed for wallcovering using textiles.

A study day discovering the textile traditions of Varanasi (Benares) and the Indian draw-loom, progenitor of the punch-card and computer-controlled looms.

A sequence of 2 online lectures meant to widen the knowledge of the Scandinavian historical textile and clothing system, about codes and variations in late Renaissance and early Baroque age.

A course in textile identification, customised for young employees of Italy’s famous men’s haute couture fashion house, has recently concluded.

Eva Basile’s trip to visit the weavers of Varanasi, the craftspeople who embroider saris who pin and weave precious pashmina of unequalled quality.