Maria Monaci Gallenga
Maria Monaci Gallenga (1880–1944) was an Italian textile designer and fashion designer.[1] Along with her husband, Gallenga invented a unique metallic, block printing technique for fabrics that gave her textiles a distinct hue.[2]
Early life[edit]
Maria Monaci Gallenga was born in Rome in 1880.[1] Born into a prominent family of academics, as a young girl she was fascinated with history and particularly in medieval and Renaissance Italian art history.[2] In 1903 she married Peter Gallenga,[3] a professor at the University of Rome.[4]
Career[edit]
Gallenga started designing and making textiles and clothing in 1914 out of a studio in Florence.[3] She often exhibited her designs in art exhibitions.[3] These designs combined a unique mixture of old world motifs, such as heavy velvet and medieval patterns, with more modern 1920s silhouettes.[4] Gallenga also had a flair for theatricality and designed many cloaks and capes.[3] In 1923, Gallenga was awarded a Silver Medal at the Monza design exhibition.[3] In 1928, Gallenga co-founded the Boutique Italienne in Paris with the designers Bice Pittoni and Carla Visconti di Modrone.[3]
In line with her passion for history, many of her textile pattern titles reference medieval and Renaissance history. For example, the "Mona Tessa" is a reference to the mother of Beatrice Portinari, the muse of Dante Alighieri.[5]
Death[edit]
Gallenga died in 1944 in Italy.[3]
Public collections[edit]
Gallenga's work can be found in a number of public institutions, including:
- Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco[1]
- RISD Museum[6]
- Philadelphia Museum of Art[7]
- Victoria and Albert Museum[8]
- Art Institute of Chicago[9]
- Metropolitan Museum of Art[10]
- Ulster Museum[11]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Maria Monaci Gallenga", Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ a b Camerlengo, Laura. "Gallenga", Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Maria Monaci Gallenga", Fashion Model Directory, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Textile by Maria Gallenga", Metropolitan Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Woman's cape", Philadelphia Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Maria Monaci Gallenga", RISD Museum, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Collections: Maria Monaci Gallenga", Philadelphia Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Gallenga, Maria Monaci", Victoria & Albert Museum, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Collections: Gallenga, Maria Monaci", Art Institute of Chicago, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Maria Gallenga", Metropolitan Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ [1], National Museums NI, Retrieved 26 October 2017.
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