Hotsalo K. Textiles in Florence and Venice through the eyes of citizens during the 15th–16th centuries. Using the fabrics from the Khanenko Museum collection

The dissertation is the study of textiles’ semantic functions (sign/interpretation) in the eyes of Florentine and Venetian citizens during the 15th–16th centuries. To do this, we use written and visual sources of the specified time. With their mediation, we determine and analyze those characteristics of fabrics that attracted the attention of citizens in various contexts of everyday and ceremonial events. Contemporary studies often emphasize the function of a symbol, which was typical for fabrics in various contexts of social existence during earlier times. Simultaneously, making such statements, scientists rely mainly on generally established ideas about the worldview features of past societies. However, how Europeans of the Renaissance contextualized, interpreted, perceived textiles, what meanings this material acquired under different circumstances – these questions remain open. From the beginning of the 20th century, fabrics began to be actively studied – first as objects of decorative art and material culture, in museum and private collections, later – in order to be used as a visual source in a wide range of historical research. However, to this day, researchers who study particular ancient textiles and theoreticians who highlight various aspects of the production and use of this material, partly work "in parallel": real objects still act mainly as generalized illustrative material for the theoretical developments of scientists. Instead, characteristics of specific ancient fabrics are infrequently used to supplement and deepen scientific historical concepts.