Lacemaking in Croatia
Encyclopedia
Lacemaking in Croatia is a tradition dating back to the Renaissance
when lacemaking began spreading throughout the Mediterranean and continental Europe
. Throughout the years, Croatian lace has become notable for its unique patterns and designs. In 2009 UNESCO
recognised lacemaking in Croatia as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Today in Croatia there are three centres of lacemaking tradition: the Adriatic
islands of Pag
and Hvar and the northern town of Lepoglava
.
and consists of spider web pattern embellishments and numerous geometrical motifs. The finished product is very firm, and unlike other Croatian laces, can be washed.
Lace in Pag
is still made today in the traditional fashion from centuries ago, and a school has opened to keep the lacemaking tradition alive.
, with its structure consisting of a combination of stylized geometric, floral, and animal motifs and patterns. A flax or cotton thread is used, always in the color white, and comes in various shapes and sizes.
Lacemaking in Lepoglava
began production in the late 19th century, reaching its 'Golden Age' between the two World Wars. During this time, the lace won many competitions at international exhibitions: in Paris
1937 it won a gold medal, and two years later a bronze in Berlin
. This era was one of greatest prosperity for Lepoglava lace.
An international lace festival is held in Lepoglava every year in September in honour of the town's lacemaking culture.
plants that grow on the island. The leaves are picked at a certain time of the year and are then specially processed to produce a thin, white thread.
The Benedictine nuns in the town of Hvar are the only ones who make the Hvar lace.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
when lacemaking began spreading throughout the Mediterranean and continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Throughout the years, Croatian lace has become notable for its unique patterns and designs. In 2009 UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
recognised lacemaking in Croatia as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Today in Croatia there are three centres of lacemaking tradition: the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
islands of Pag
Pag (island)
Pag is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea. It is the fifth-largest island of the Croatian coast, and the one with the longest coastline....
and Hvar and the northern town of Lepoglava
Lepoglava
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina.A total of 8,271 people in the municipality lives in the following settlements:* Bednjica, population 214...
.
Notable lace
Pag: needle lace
Pag lace is made by needle-pointNeedle lace
Needle lace is a type of lace created using a needle and thread to stitch up hundreds of small stitches to form the lace itself....
and consists of spider web pattern embellishments and numerous geometrical motifs. The finished product is very firm, and unlike other Croatian laces, can be washed.
Lace in Pag
Pag (island)
Pag is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea. It is the fifth-largest island of the Croatian coast, and the one with the longest coastline....
is still made today in the traditional fashion from centuries ago, and a school has opened to keep the lacemaking tradition alive.
Lepoglava: bobbin lace
Lepoglava lace is a closely worked bobbin laceBobbin lace
Bobbin lace is a lace textile made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them. As the work progresses, the weaving is held in place with pins set in a lace pillow, the placement of the pins usually determined by a pattern or pricking pinned on the...
, with its structure consisting of a combination of stylized geometric, floral, and animal motifs and patterns. A flax or cotton thread is used, always in the color white, and comes in various shapes and sizes.
Lacemaking in Lepoglava
Lepoglava
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina.A total of 8,271 people in the municipality lives in the following settlements:* Bednjica, population 214...
began production in the late 19th century, reaching its 'Golden Age' between the two World Wars. During this time, the lace won many competitions at international exhibitions: in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1937 it won a gold medal, and two years later a bronze in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. This era was one of greatest prosperity for Lepoglava lace.
An international lace festival is held in Lepoglava every year in September in honour of the town's lacemaking culture.
Hvar: agave lace
Hvar lace is unique in that the thread is collected from the aloe leaves of agaveAgave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
plants that grow on the island. The leaves are picked at a certain time of the year and are then specially processed to produce a thin, white thread.
The Benedictine nuns in the town of Hvar are the only ones who make the Hvar lace.
External links
- Lacemaking in Croatia (Video) at kultura.hr, Croatian Cultural Heritage project, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of CroatiaMinistry of Culture (Croatia)The Ministry of Culture is a ministry of the Croatian government, whose work is aimed at preserving the cultural and natural heritage and overseeing its development...
- Lacemaking in Croatia: UNESCO