Let us give our attention to the political situation at that time. I have already shown how the advancement made in textile production by some countries was due to political causes, and how artistic taste was affected by the same events.

The first town of the Italian continent to produce textiles of any importance was Lucca. It is mentioned in this connection

in a manuscript as early as 1248. Manufacturing was carried on there to an important extent; they despatched their products to Paris, Bruges and London. But commerce and industry were soon interrupted by civil wars of a sanguinary character. Owing to this cause many clever workmen quitted Lucca and settled in the neighboring towns; Milan, Florence, Bologna, Venice and Genoa offered refuge to these fugitives, and laid claim to their skill.

The many difficulties which had to be overcome in the introduction of such a complicated industry, such as obtaining of the raw material and the technicalities of weaving and dyeing, gave no opportunity at the commencement of this industry for the creation of new patterns.

The Italian towns will have obtained most of their workmen from the Sicilian factories, who brought with them their own taste to these towns. Hence we again find in the fabrics of the Italian factories of the 14th century, at first the same patterns as those made by Saracenic looms in Sicily, or by those of the Moors in Spain in the early times.

Therefore, it is difficult to say for certain, to which place of manufacture the patterns of this period belong, and it is not until the middle of the 14th century that the differences in style appear more obvious owing to the advent of the new Italian ornament. It is true that the Italians used the Saracenic designs, but they paid no attention to their symbolical meanings; they thought it sufficient by copying animal figures and borders, bearing inscriptions and floral ornaments to imitate similar designs upon the Saracenic weavings, which were valued so highly at that time.

They would take a group of animals at random, surround it with secondary ornamental work, and add to this examples of their own style of ornament. Thus we see animals and plants mingled together with fantastic forms, cartouches, escutcheons, crowns, castles, fences, fluttering ribbons and so forth.

In some cases the designs upon the Italian fabrics of the 14th century also admit of a symbolical interpretation. This is proved by an interesting design preserved in the Royal Textile Museum at Crefeld.

The interpretation of this is as follows: The dog, the symbol of the human soul, has been freed from this mortal life, as indicated by the broken chain; the eagle the symbol of divinity, having descended from heaven to break the chain, now steers the soul to the abode of the blessed, and this action takes place under the shade of the great and mighty tree of the church. This design was probably made for use at funerals.

That these brilliant fabrics with their splendid and interesting. designs influenced the poetical art of that time and the songs of the German minstrels, is proved by the fact that in the Nibelungs the seventh part is occupied by the description of splendid garments.

But, on the other hand, songs and legends have also been the cause for making interesting designs. One pattern shows a maiden standing on the battlement of a castle and holding a falcon endeavoring to fly. In another pattern we see a maiden coming out of a large flower, on her hand a falcon with bells on its feet, and by her side a dog fastened with a cord.

FIGURE 36.

The following song may be

Ich Arme einen Sperber lieb zu haben! So liebt ich ihn, dass Sehnsucht mich verzehrt,

An meinem Ruf schien sich sein Herz zu

laben,

referred to these patterns.

Poor me to have had a falcon for a pet

I loved him so tenderly that I am ill of love-longing

He seemed to like so much to hear my

calling,