North Italian brocade

1300

Piece of blue satin brocaded with gold threads. The unit of the pattern is a symmetrical arrangement of fantastic birds, vine leaves and curving stems. The bird shapes are remotely related to, if not derived from, the Chinese mystical "fonghoang." North Italian weaving of the 14th century; about 11 in square. The Latin word broccus is related equally to the Italian brocalo, the Spanish brocar and the French brocaris and brocher, and implies a form of stitching or broaching, so that textile fabrics woven with an appearance of stitching or broaching have consequently come to be termed \\\"brocades.\\\"
Source: Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, Vol. 4, Page 622

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