Florentine embroidery

There used to be a time when women would arm themselves with needle, thread and bags of patience to sew and embroider: for work, to prepare their trusseau or for domestic needs. That embroidery tradition is still alive in Florence today, in small workshops of worldwide repute. The history of Florentine female handicrafts starts with a decision taken by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, who decided in the 18th century to turn women's convents into colleges where various arts and trades were taught. The first of these was the art of embroidery. Until then, apart from nuns working in the seclusion of the convents, this art had been the province of men. After the Grand Duke's decision, there was not a single girls' school that did not provide instruction in embroidery and weaving. Embroidery artists handed down their knowledge – and the history of embroidery can in any case be traced right back to the Middle Ages – from generation to generation, transforming a job into what became almost a family tradition. And even though times change and professions disappear, Florence is one of the cities that has best preserved a craft tradition that has created some supremely fine work: lingerie, household linens, richly decorated fabrics and delicate lace.

The Florentine embroidery tradition is centred on small businesses, tiny workshops that are still active in the city centre streets with decades of tradition and experience behind them, run by professional embroiderers who jealously guard the secrets of their trade. But that is not the end of it. Florentine household linens can be found in castles, royal palaces and the homes and villas of famous people around the world, to the extent that embroidery has become one of the most widely appreciated Florentine handicrafts. Courses are continually run in the city and surrounding province for enthusiasts of all ages, ample proof of the enduring interest in what is a quintessential expression of patience.