Bizantina Ars

Parts of what we know today as Italy were ruled by the Byzantines for a number of centuries. This influence is evident in some architecture, mosaics, marble carvings, frescos and... needlework.

Bizantina Ars or Byzantine Embroidery (the name Bizantina Ars [Byzantine Art] is actually trademarked) refers to embroidery made to resemble 4th and 5th century mosaics from the Basilicas of Ravenna.

This is a small piece of Bizantina Ars on a little rock salt sack that I purchased in Italy. It was made by the trademarked association which guarantees authentic designs and embroidery:


You can see the progression of the design from marble carving to stitched piece here.

Usually the designs are done as voided work, ie. the backgrounds are filled and the motifs left empty. Outlines are done in Stem Stitch, usually in a brown thread (DMC 801) and the filled areas are done in single coloured Punto Stuoia. The Anchor Manual of Needlework translates this stitch as Rush Stitch as that is the basic idea of it, it is meant to resemble the pattern of the rushes that covered European floors in ancient times. Single colour fillings are most commonly green, gold, red or blue. A high-count 100% Linen fabric is recommended in an ivory colour.

This example of Rush Stitch was sent to me by an Italian lady who does Byzantine Embroidery:


Here is what the back looks like:


(Note: these are examples of Rush Stitch, not Byzantine Embroidery.)

Rush Stitch is similar to Roumanian Couching though it is not meant to be evenly done but rather to have a randomness to it.

If you ever find yourself in Ravenna, all the Byzantine mosaics are worth going out of your way for. The churches of San Vitale and San Apollinare in Classe in particular.

Books about Byzantine Embroidery:
Il ricamo bizantino by Carla Scarpellini (text in Italian and difficult to find but worth it for the designs)
Bello come un sogno d’Oriente - Irma Scudellari Melandri, 2006 (text in Italian and also difficult to find but lots of colour photos of embroideries)
Treasury of Byzantine Ornament by Dover Publications is a good pattern book to use for this type of needlework.

To learn about the history behind Bizantina Ars, go to Tuttoricamo and look under the 'Techniques' heading.

For more pictures, check out the Gallery at the Bizantina Ars website.

Aquileia Embroidery

So, let's start at the beginning of the alphabet as I am lacking in imagination at this moment.

Aquileia Embroidery is a relatively 'new' technique; that is, the fabulously talented maestra Antonietta Monzo Menossi of the Italian Needlework school Ricami e Legami in Udine, Italy was inspired by the mosaics of Aquileia and wanted to reproduce them using embroidery stitches to commemorate the third millennium. The technique is composed mainly of groups of Satin Stitches arranged to imitate mosaic tiles, Whipped Chain Stitch for outlines and Rodi pulled stitches for background filling. Some information I found in English goes as follows: "With this embroidery a stole was produced [and] donated to his Holiness on the occasion of the Jubilee 2000, a set of sacred vestment[s] for the Archbishop of Udine and a triptych which transfers the classic patterns of the floor of the basilica of Aquileia given to President Ciampi and his wife."

I have a book called: Gioielli d'Ago which showcases Signora Menossi's work and that of her also very talented sister AnnaMaria Monzo Veronese in Aquileia Embroidery as well as other techniques like Hedebo and Needlepainting. Although the text is in Italian only, this book has lots of pictures of how to execute the various stitches (quite an extensive section on Hedebo), and is a treat for the eyes (I love mosaics!).

This book can be purchased online from Tombolo Disegni, click on 'Libri/Books', then 'Libri Ricamo', then 'Ricamo Italiani' to get to the right page and scroll down. To order from this website you must click on the side bar at the right 'Come ordinare' and send an email request to the email address listed there. Copy and paste the info about the book you want so there is no misunderstanding and Gianfranca the owner will send you an email PayPal request.

You can read more about the Monzo sisters on the Italian Embroidery website TuttoRicamo, click on the British flag for the English version and then look under 'Prominent Characters'. While you're there, under the 'How its done' section is a tutorial for the Rodi pulled stitch (the article heading is: pulled thread work).