Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T09:34:54.937Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Snapshot of Viennese Textile History using Multi-Instrumental analysis: Benedict codecasa’s swatchbook

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2017

Riley Thomas ,
Jocelyn Alcantára-García  and
Jan Wouters
Riley Thomas
Affiliation:
University of Delaware, Department of Art Conservation, Newark, DE, 19716, U.S.A.
Jocelyn Alcantára-García*
Affiliation:
University of Delaware, Department of Art Conservation, Newark, DE, 19716, U.S.A.
Jan Wouters
Affiliation:
Conservation Scientist – Consultant, Zwijndreecht, Belgium
*
*(Email: [email protected])
Get access

Abstract

The Habsburg Empire was a sovereign dynasty ruled by the Habsburgs between the 15th and 20th centuries. Although its borders were not defined before the 19th century, what is now Austria, Hungary, some areas of the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Italy were at some point part of the Empire. Starting in the 17th century, the Empire had Vienna as the capital, which was a hub for culture and craft where silk was a valued commodity. Despite the political and cultural importance of the Empire, little is known of its trade practices and sources of raw material. Using a combination of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detector (HPLC-PDA) for the study of a Viennese swatch book, we conducted the first systematic approach to understanding the industry. Benedict Codecasa, a prominent merchant active in Vienna between the late 18th and early 19th century sold silk and other textile goods. Authorized by the Royal Court, Codecasa was assumed to sell luxurious and high-quality textiles. However, our results suggested colored goods were dyed with more focus on aesthetics (finding a similar color) rather than quality through unique recipes. This greatly contrasts with other contemporary textile industries praised for their quality and which, in turn, might be related to comparatively lesser quality textiles sold in Vienna.

Keywords

x-ray fluorescenceartchemical composition
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 2 , Issue 63: International Materials Research Congress XXVI , 2017 , pp. 3959 - 3971
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Steidl, A., Silk Weaver and Purse Maker Apprenticeships in 19th Century Vienna, in: Bert de Munck, S.L.K.a.H.S. (Ed.) Learning on the Shop Floor: Historical Perspectives on Apprenticeship, Berghahn Books, New York, 2007, pp. 133–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Komlosy, A., Austria and Czechoslovakia: The Habsburg Monarchy and its successor states, in: Lex Heerma Van Voss, E.H.-K.a.E.V.N.-M. (Ed.) The Ashgate Companion to the History of Textile Workers 1650-2000, Ashgate Publishing Limited, Surrey, UK, 2010, pp. 43–73.Google Scholar
Buro, C.d., C.B. (Commissioners), Austria, in: Official Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, Spicer Brothers and W. Clowes & Sons, London, 1851, pp. 1005–1014.Google Scholar
Kaps, K., Trade Statistics in the Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th Century, in: Workshop “International Trade in the 18th century”, Lille University, 2011.Google Scholar
Montgomery, F.M., Textiles in America, 1650–1870, W.W. Norton & Company, New York / London, 1984.Google Scholar
Cardon, D., The Dyer’s Handbook: Memoirs of an 18th-century master colourist, Oxbow Books, United Kingdom, 2016.Google Scholar
Wouters, J., Grzywacz, C.M., Claro, A., Markers of Identification of Faded Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Colorants by HPLC-PDA-MS, Studies in Conservation, 55 (2010) 186–203.Google Scholar
Wouters, J., Grzywacz, C.M., Claro, A., A Comparative Investigation of Hydrolysis Methods to Analyze Natural Organic Dyes by HPLC-PDA - Nine Methods, Twelve Biological Sources, Ten Dye Classes, Dyed Yarns, Pigments and Paints, Studies in Conservation, 56 (2011) 231–249.Google Scholar
Wouters, J., Verhecken, A., The Coccid Insect Dyes: HPLC and Computerized Diode-Array Analysis of Dyed Yarns, Studies in Conservation, 34 (1989) 189–200.Google Scholar
B. Norfolk Record Office, Stannard & Co., sales account, in, 1764–1770.Google Scholar
Edmonds, J., The History and Practice of Eighteenth Century Dyeing, John Edmonds, Chalfont St. Giles, 1999.Google Scholar
Cardon, D., Natural Dyes: Sources, Tradition, Technology and Science, Archetype Books, London, England, 2007.Google Scholar
Mantzouris, D., Karapanagiotis, I., Valianou, L., Panayiotou, C., HPLC-DAD-MS analysis of dyes identified in textiles from Mount Athos, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 399 (2011) 3065–3079.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Serrano, A., Sousa, M.M., Hallett, J., Lopes, J.A., Oliveira, M.C., Analysis of natural red dyes (cochineal) in textiles of historical importance using HPLC and multivariate data analysis, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 401 (2011) 735–743.Google Scholar
Ferreira, E.S., Hulme, A.N., McNab, H., Quye, A., The natural constituents of historical textile dyes, Chem Soc Rev, 33 (2004) 329–336.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Alcántara-García, J., Nix, M., Pearlstein, T., Multi-intrumental approach with archival research to study the Norwich worsted industry. The example of a Norwich pattern book dated c. 1794–1797, in, University of Delaware - Winterthur Museum, Unpublished Results, 2017.Google Scholar
Manhita, A., Balcaen, L., Vanhaecke, F., Ferreira, T., Candeias, A.J., Dias, C.B., Unveiling the colour palette of Arraiolos carpets: Material study of carpets from the 17th to 19th century period by HPLC-DAD-MS and ICP-MS, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 15 (2014) 292–299.Google Scholar
Ferreira, E.S.B., Quye, A., Hulme, A.N., McNab, H., LC-Ion Trap MS and PDA-HPLC-Complementary Techniques in the Analysis of Flavonoid Dyes in Historical Textiles: The Case Study of an 18th-century Herald’s Tabard, Dyes in History and Archaeology, 19 (2003) 13–18.Google Scholar
Surowiec, I., Quye, A., Trojanowicz, M., Liquid chromatography determination of natural dyes in extracts from historical Scottish textiles excavated from peat bogs, J Chromatogr A, 1112 (2006) 209–217.Google Scholar
Petroviciu, I., Cretu, I., Berghe, I.V., Wouters, J., Medvedovici, A., Albu, F., Flavonoid Dyes Detected in Historical Textiles from Romanian Collections, e-PS, 11 (2014) 84–90.Google Scholar
Bechtold, T., Mussak, R., Handbook on Natural Colorants, Wiley, Great Britain, 2009.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofenk-de-Graaff, J.H., The Colourful Past. Origins, Chemistry and Identification of Natural Dyestuffs, Archetype Publications, Italy, 2004.Google Scholar