In Moulins, the Visitation museum unveils its new exhibition: “Lace of fashion, Fashion lace, ” … A journey in elegance where luxury is revealed to the visitor who knows how to take time and look closely. ( until December 24, 2017).
In the beginning it was thread. Then came the spindle, the hand and patience … and the lace A lace that interests both women and men, but also adorns tables and bathtubs. In the 17th century, lace was the outward sign of wealth that had to be worn to impress.
“During the reign of Louis XIV, lace invades everything. We fight at the court to have the most beautiful element around the collar, sleeves. And the fortunate of the French nobility went into Flanders, into Milan, to buy these laces. There is a certain Colbert who finds it a shame to send the money of the French abroad and he will develop the “made in France” label by bringing foreign workers that he will train “explains Jean Foisselon of the Museum of The Visitation. Shortly afterwards, the point of France was invented.
A point made by the needle, and which costs a fortune: 80 hours of work are necessary to make lace the equivalent of a postage stamp … To be able to afford it, you will have to pay the equivalent of 400 years of bread for a family.
Some Visitandines, however, choose to create themselves some pieces of lace … Pieces that have no price, with patience, virtuosity and time that is not counted by these Sisters who have eternity before them…
Source and French video here: http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/allier/moulins/dentelle-honneur-au-musee-visitation-moulins-1291783.html