Puncetto Lace |
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"Puncetto” is a hand made needle lace traditionally worked in Valsesia, a mountain valley in the North of Italy. Its origin is unknown, but probably due to the invasion of Saracens in Xth century: unquestionable it is its resemblance to the decorative patterns of Arab art, geometric and delicate as a filigree, looking like repetitive inlaid. The first certain evidence of Puncetto goes back to
1500, when Gaudenzio Ferrari, the most distinguished artist of the valley
, adorned the Vergin Mary’s robe with this lace. Later, painters and
moulders working in the Varallo Sacred Mountain Chapel used this lace to
embellish the plain costumes the figures appearing in the popular every
day life scenes they were recreating.. The maximum bloom of Puncetto occurred in XIXth century,
when it was found out by Queen Margaret of Savoy, an admirer of Valsesia
district, who introduced it at court, among her ladies-in-waiting, and in
France and Great Britain too. Later on Puncetto remained well known only in Valsesia
Valley. It was used to embellish typical costumes or refine girl
trousseaus. In the last few years Puncetto is getting notorious
again, thanks to the interest of local public institutions and of many
other people fond of this lace. |
