#6988 $5,900
Gallenga stenciled velvet cape, 1920s
The textile art of Maria Monaci Gallenga (1880-1944) is often compared to that of Fortuny because they both produced hand-stenciled designs that drew inspiration from the distant past. The patterns of Gallenga, generally larger and less textured than those of Fortuny, often contain exotic birds or beasts.
Gallenga's loyal followers, who frequented her shop in Florence, preferred the mysterious, Gothic quality of her designs. She is best known for medieval and Oriental designs stenciled in shades of silver and gold.
Throughout her career, Gallenga remained true to her original formula for stenciling on silk velvet. She used as many as 9 tones of gold and silver pigment to achieve the desired ombré shading. The metallic pigment does not tarnish or flake off, thanks to a special formula devised by Gallenga's husband, a Professor at the University of Rome.
The cape is fashioned from black silk velvet and is lined with red silk velvet, a mesmerizing hue. You can see in the picture below that the red velvet facing was attached to the body of the cape before it was stenciled. The facing was hand quilted after the stenciling was completed.
Many Gallenga designs are dramatic due to large areas of graphic stenciling. This one is equally dramatic for the opposite reason: its restraint.
Gallenga became an overnight sensation at a theatre opening in New York in 1916. She wore her "medieval" gown, which attracted more attention than the play. Like our fabulous cape, her gown on that fateful night was also stenciled by a miraculous process whereby the pattern appeared to float on a weightless fabric.
The full signature "Maria Monaci Gallenga", part of the stenciled pattern, has been cut to fit the shape of the cape. If you compare the two bottom pictures, one of which has the full signature, you will see the remaining "Gallenga" on this cape has the same handwriting.
The condition is excellent.
One size fits all. The semicircular cape is 48" long at the center-back.
