SILK TREASURES. TEXTILE MASTERPIECES FROM THE FALLETTI DONATION
In 2025 the Museo del Tessuto Foundation in Prato IT marks its 50th anniversary with “Silk Treasures. Textile Masterpieces from the Falletti Donation,” curated by Daniela Degl’Innocenti. Running through 21 December 2025 in Prato IT, the exhibition celebrates the museum’s origins—rooted in Loriano Bertini’s foundational donation—with a new, remarkable contribution from Giovanni Falletti. Over 50 years, the Florentine physician and collector has amassed nearly 2,000 objects, ranging from antique textiles and embroideries to prints, books, jewellery, historical weapons, and ritual masks from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The collection includes 250 Japanese prints from the late 18th and 19th centuries by artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, European textiles spanning the 15th to the 18th centuries, over 450 graphic works by masters like Dürer and Piranesi, and more than 1,000 other items—such as intricate embroideries and ritual artefacts. Displayed in the historical textiles hall, the exhibition unfolds along a chronological path that illustrates four centuries of European craftsmanship, highlighting how luxurious fabrics originally used for aristocratic secular garments were later repurposed into sacred vestments. Multimedia installations and digital microscopes enhance the visitor experience, revealing the inner structure and evolving decorative motifs of these masterpieces, while a forthcoming Edifir catalogue provides in-depth analysis.
Founded in 1975 with Bertini’s seminal donation, the Museo del Tessuto of Prato has grown into an internationally significant institution, boasting a collection of over 11,000 objects and a dynamic educational program that reached nearly 20,000 students between 2021 and 2024. The museum’s history of acclaimed exhibitions and active European collaborations underscores its role as a vital cultural hub dedicated to preserving and interpreting the art of textiles.
“Silk Treasures. Textile Masterpieces from the Falletti Donation,” curated by Daniela Degl’Innocenti, will be on view until 21 December 2025 at Museo del Tessuto, via Puccetti 3, in Prato (PO).
Information: info@museodeltessuto.it | www.museodeltessuto.com
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